3 Local Pot Shops Close

Three local pot shops have peddled their last puffs.

Threatened with legal action for violating Newport Beach zoning laws, the medical marijuana dispensaries and collectives voluntarily shut down in July, according to city spokeswoman Tara Finnigan.

A fourth shop is under investigation, Finnigan said, although she declined to provide details.

In late May, the against a trio of cannabis dispensaries. In June, officials sent letters ordering the shops to cease operations immediately.

Two complied quickly and one owner met with city officials before finally agreeing to close July 31, officials said. 

The three shops were:

• The West Coast Cure on Newport Boulevard
• Nature's Alternative Solutions on Irvine Avenue
• The Healing Tree on Birch Street

California voters gave the OK to medical marijuana in 1996. But many cities, including Newport Beach, have sought to block dispensaries from operating within their borders.