The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has written letters threatening landlords with jail time and property forfeitures if they rent space to medical-marijuana dispensaries, the Los Angeles Times reported July 17.

The Los Angeles field office sent the letters to 150 local landlords whose properties include medical-marijuana outlets. "By renting their property to individuals violating fed drug laws, they are in and of themselves violating federal law," said Sarah Pullen, a DEA spokesperson. "These are definitely meant to serve as a notice. What might happen as to the continuing investigations, we'll just have to see."

Medical-marijuana dispensary operator Lisa Sawoya called the letter "devastating," saying, "My landlord believes in cannabis as medicine. But they're taking the letter very seriously. So I'll be closing my doors at the end of this month."

"Raiding dispensaries and arresting patients hasn't worked to end medical marijuana, so the DEA is trying a new tactic and claiming a new victim in this war," said Steph Sherer of Americans for Safe Access.

Some said the DEA's move could force the state to take over supplying the drug under Proposition 215, the voter-approved medical-marijuana law. "That's the way it should have been from the beginning," said Hap Kent, another marijuana dispensary operator.