Pot sellers seen exploiting vague laws

Unclear and tangled state regulations on medical marijuana has resulted in California becoming a safe haven for drug traffickers, police say.

With storefront entrepreneurs selling pot for some medical conditions springing up all over the state, law enforcement officials say criminals are taking advantage of vague laws governing who can sell marijuana and under what circumstances, USA Today reported Wednesday.

They appear to be run by drug dealers who see an opening in the market and a way to make a fast buck, San Diego district attorney Bonnie Dumanis told the newspaper, adding that every pot store her office has looked at is operating illegally.

Critics of the situation say the law was meant to benefit only a small number of patients but is being exploited by entrepreneurs who are making big money, USA Today reported.

It’s a very, very profitable business, said Los Angeles Police Lt. Paul Torrence of the LAPD’s gang and narcotics division. That’s clearly outside the boundaries of the voters’ intention in passing Prop 215, the 1996 state referendum that leaves medicinal marijuana regulation up to local governments.