City Attorney Elect Trutanich with GLACA members

The Greater Los Angeles Caregivers Alliance (GLACA), which is working to develop and implement sensible regulations for medical cannabis collectives and cooperatives, helped call voters, walk precincts, and turn out hundreds of members to elect the two candidates. GLACA members joined City Councilmembers Zine and Hahn in Universal City on Tuesday night to celebrate Trutanich’s victory, while a delegation of medical cannabis advocates gathered in central Los Angeles to watch the neck-and-neck race with Koretz.

The election of Trutanich – and possibly Koretz – is good news for medical cannabis supporters. Paul Koretz is the former Mayor of West Hollywood and California Assemblymember who has been a long-time champion of medical cannabis rights. He is likely to replace medical cannabis opponent Jack Weiss as the representative for District 5 – which will mean one more vote for safe access on the City Council.

Carmen Trutanich defeated outgoing Los Angeles City Councilmember Jack Weiss in the race for City Attorney following a surprisingly negative campaign. Patients and advocates feared Weiss would carry on outgoing City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo’s policy of obstructing progress on implementing sensible medical cannabis policy in the city. Trutanich told GLACA members he would uphold the state’s laws at a neighborhood meeting before the election.

Neighborhood groups and media have been critical of the City Council and City Attorney’s office for not moving quickly enough to regulate the exploding number of patients’ associations in Los Angeles. Having another medical cannabis supporter on the City Council and a more reasonable City Attorney could be important as the city begins the work of adopting a permanent ordinance in earnest this summer.

Congratulations to GLACA, the Union of Medical Marijuana Patients, and dozens of patients’ associations who helped make a difference!

If you are a registered voter in the City of Los Angeles, please find your polling place and vote on Tuesday, May 19. You should  encourage friends, loved ones, medical cannabis advocates, and members of your patients’ association to do the same!

The Greater Los Angeles Caregivers Alliance (GLACA), a voluntary association of local collectives working to promote best practices in the field of medical cannabis, is organizing volunteers to make calls and walk precincts in the final days before the election. The Union of Medical Marijuana Patients (UMPP) is also mobilizing the base by distributing thousands of post cards about the candidates all over the city and hosting a victory party. Many Los Angeles patients’ associations are offering incentives to memebrs who cast a balllot next week.

Why all the fuss over a runoff election? Because this runoff will have a big impact on the city’s medical cannabis policy. If elected, Paul Koretz, a long time champion of medical cannabis rights, will replace medical cannabis opponent Jack Weiss in District 5. That means we will replace an anti–medcial cannabis vote with a solid pro-medcial cannabis vote. Better still, we can help elect Carmen Trutanich in his close race for District Attorney with outgoing District 5 Councilmember Jack Weiss. If Trutanich wins, we can anticipate a more reasonable approach to medical cannabis and local implementation. If Weiss wins, we can expect more stalling and blocking from his office.

Imagine how much better off we will be in Los Angeles with one more vote on the City Council and a reasonable City Attorney! This is a rare chance to make a big difference with a few votes. Do your part to elect Paul Koretz to City Council (District 5) and Carmen Trutanich as City Attorney.