Vanessa Gregoriadis

Now, the feds alleged that Eddie was doing this and, in fact, that he'd taken pot out of state to sell to the Carolinas. This was verboten. It had to be California and California only. And yet, if you look at why people in California were going out of state to sell at that time, it was just simple economics.

Now, the feds alleged that Eddie was doing this and, in fact, that he'd taken pot out of state to sell to the Carolinas. This was verboten. It had to be California and California only. And yet, if you look at why people in California were going out of state to sell at that time, it was just simple economics.

Sam saw this firsthand.

Sam saw this firsthand.

It was supply and demand. There was too much supply. Filmmaker Kevin Booth again.

It was supply and demand. There was too much supply. Filmmaker Kevin Booth again.

Kevin and others told me that people started driving weed to the east, where they could get better prices.

Kevin and others told me that people started driving weed to the east, where they could get better prices.

It wasn't just that the market was flooded with too much weed. There were also way too many dispensaries. It was almost a joke how out of control everything got.

It wasn't just that the market was flooded with too much weed. There were also way too many dispensaries. It was almost a joke how out of control everything got.

Peter Hecht is a journalist who wrote a book about this time called Weedland.

Peter Hecht is a journalist who wrote a book about this time called Weedland.

To Peter, this is not what the medical marijuana revolution was supposed to be about.

To Peter, this is not what the medical marijuana revolution was supposed to be about.

For Eddie, as the pressure started to build on the business, things got really nuts. Now, this part is not silly or funny at all. According to court documents that I dug up, even the medical pot and clawed cat oasis neighborhood, West Hollywood, got sick of having so many medical marijuana dispensaries there that they passed a moratorium on any new ones opening.

For Eddie, as the pressure started to build on the business, things got really nuts. Now, this part is not silly or funny at all. According to court documents that I dug up, even the medical pot and clawed cat oasis neighborhood, West Hollywood, got sick of having so many medical marijuana dispensaries there that they passed a moratorium on any new ones opening.

This triggered a dispute between Eddie and his landlord, and his landlord said he had to buy the building or move his store near the Viper Room elsewhere, which sounds like it led Eddie to take measures that were not legal, even in the slightest. In this spiraling feud, his landlord's family was attacked, majorly. On one occasion, four guys broke in and hit his wife in the head with a metal bar.

This triggered a dispute between Eddie and his landlord, and his landlord said he had to buy the building or move his store near the Viper Room elsewhere, which sounds like it led Eddie to take measures that were not legal, even in the slightest. In this spiraling feud, his landlord's family was attacked, majorly. On one occasion, four guys broke in and hit his wife in the head with a metal bar.

Their home was set on fire twice. Another of their properties was set on fire. Two Molotov cocktails were thrown on the route of his rival dispensary. Eddie would not talk to me about these specifics. He spent six years in LA County Jail without bail, which is its own horrific story, and then pled guilty to conspiracy to commit home invasion robbery, stalking, and five counts of arson.

Their home was set on fire twice. Another of their properties was set on fire. Two Molotov cocktails were thrown on the route of his rival dispensary. Eddie would not talk to me about these specifics. He spent six years in LA County Jail without bail, which is its own horrific story, and then pled guilty to conspiracy to commit home invasion robbery, stalking, and five counts of arson.