[Nfbc-info] blind woman sues to keep pot dispensary open

[ckrugman at sbcglobal.net]

Blind woman sues to keep pot dispensary open 
Posted at 06:44 AM on Wednesday, May. 19, 2010
The Associated Press 
SANTA ANA, Calif. A blind woman with cerebral palsy, epilepsy and osteoporosis has filed a lawsuit in an attempt to stop Dana Point officials from closing a medical marijuana collective where she gets pot to cope with her maladies.

Attorney Jeffrey Schwartz says 29-year-old Malinda Traudt needs marijuana to manage pain that couldn't be controlled with other drugs without serious side effects.

The Orange County Superior Court lawsuit, filed Tuesday on behalf of Traudt and her mother, says Traudt gets marijuana from the Beach Cities Collective in Dana Point. The city has targeted medical pot dispensaries for closure. 

Judges have ruled cities can use zoning laws to shut them down because federal law classifies marijuana as an illegal narcotic.