In early 2010, the City of Long Beach, California passed an ordinance requiring patients to have permits to cultivate or distribute medical marijuana. Even though all other city licenses cost around $300.00 with the more expensive permits in the $1,000 range, Long Beach charges a minimum $14,742.00 for a non-refundable opportunity to be in a lottery for marijuana permits. To ensure the city gets its $14,000 and additional $12,000 for cultivation permits plus between $20,000 and $30,000 annual fee, Long Beach police and officials regularly raid non-profit collectives operating in accordance with California's state law decriminalization provisions. Even though cities cannot issue permits for activities prohibited by federal law, Long Beach has issued hundreds of criminal citations and put patients in jail. This raid did NOT result in arrests for violation of state law.
