An Atascadero cannabis dispensary, the only one in the county, will remain closed after its owners withdrew a lawsuit filed against the city. On January 24, city officials forced Central Coast Compassionate Caregivers to close, claiming the co-op did not comply with existing land use codes, or lack thereof.ÂÂ
 Instead of fighting a long and costly legal battle, the owners of CCCC withdrew their lawsuit, but all was not lost, says Lou Koory, attorney for CCCC. “[The lawsuit] kept the co-op open for a critical period of time, allowing many qualified patients to come forward,â€? he says. In the four weeks CCCC was open, nearly 300 patients with verified papers were given care, he says.ÂÂ
 Now, Koory says, “The co-op is focused on taking care of its members and looking for a location that works.�
This article appears in Mar 2-9, 2006.