RIVERSIDE, Calif.—A California appeals court has upheld Riverside's ban on medical marijuana dispensaries and the city is now moving to shut down the pot shops.

Forty-five dispensaries have closed since the ban went into effect last year.

City Attorney Greg Priamos tells the Riverside Press-Enterprise ( http://bit.ly/StCMOE) that he's now sending cease-and-desist notices to the remaining 10 to 12 dispensaries.

Those notices come after the 4th District Court of Appeal last week overturned a judge's August ruling saying local government cannot ban medical marijuana stores if they are operating legally under state laws.

A year ago, the same appellate court ruled that cities can ban medical marijuana dispensaries.

That ruling has been challenged and other appellate courts have reached differing opinions.

The California Supreme Court is now considering several of those cases.

