Dispensaries

L.A. Dispensary Crackdown: ‘Moral Crusade Must Be Stopped’

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on April 9, 2010 Dispensaries, News

Protestors gather at a California Narcotics Officers’ Association seminar on “Eradicating Medical Cannabis Dispensaries in the City of Los Angeles and Los Angeles County”

Medical marijuana advocacy group Americans for Safe Access (ASA) filed an amicus “friend of the court” brief Friday in an attempt to intervene in the Los Angeles City Attorney’s effort to shut down registered cannabis dispensaries.

In particular, ASA filed a brief refuting the city attorney’s argument that sales are illegal, raised in lawsuits against two Los Angeles medical marijuana dispensaries, Organica and Holistic Caregivers.

ASA also argued in the brief that City Attorney Carmen Trutanich took preemptive enforcement action before the local ordinance has even taken effect.

‘New’ No-High Pot Strain? Dude, They Should Try Midwestern Ditch Weed

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on April 8, 2010 Dispensaries, Medical

Photo: Jodi Hernandez/NBC Bay Area

It’s cool, it’s useful, it’s CBD-rich… but folks, it ain’t “new,” and it grows for free all over the Midwestern U.S.

The supposed “news” from California is that a “new strain of marijuana” has been discovered, one which “strips away the buzz” from pot. Anybody who thinks there’s anything “new” about this development has never tried getting high on Midwestern ditch weed (feral hemp), or any strain of cannabis bred for fiber content.

The good news is, the medicinal properties of cannabidiol (CBD) are finally getting recognition. CBD helps to provide many of the medicinal effects of marijuana, and is a separate cannabinoid from THC, which also provides medical benefits but is chiefly known for being a major component of the pot “high.”

World’s Largest Marijuana Dispensary Offers Bonus For Activism

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on April 7, 2010 Dispensaries, News

Photo: Harborside Health Center

About 800 patients a day visit Harborside Health Center’s Oakland location

Harborside Health Center in Oakland, California, which is billed as the largest medical marijuana dispensary in the world, is offering a free gram of cannabis for every hour volunteered in support of issues on behalf of pot patients.

“We want all our patients to know they are ambassadors for the movement,” said Goose Duarte, membership services manager at Harborside, reports Peter Hecht at The Sacramento Bee.

Harborside also features many holistic services, including a naturopathic care doctor, acupuncture, chiropractic care, yoga, and Reiki. Additionally, there are about 60 strains of potency-labeled, safety-tested California marijuana.

Town Taxes Medical Marijuana — Before There IS Any

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on April 6, 2010 Dispensaries, News

Photo: Yes-23

A small town in western Colorado has become the first in the state to tax medical marijuana. Only thing is, it doesn’t have any marijuana dispensaries.

The voters of Fruita, a town of about 11,000 residents, imposed a 5 percent tax on marijuana sales, reports Jeffrey Wolf of 9 News.

One application is pending for a dispensary in Fruita. City leaders said they wanted to be ready with a tax source in case the dispensary opens and “requires additional police patrols.”

Not exactly an open-arms welcome, but you take what you can get, I suppose. And since the good folks of Fruita are smart enough to see a revenue opportunity when they see one, I’m betting that 5 percent will be adding up real soon when a dispensary opens.

Pot Dispensary Operator Pleads Guilty; Gets 3 Years — But Why?

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on April 6, 2010 Dispensaries, News

Photo: NY Real Estate Lawyers’ Blog

A Lake Forest, California medical marijuana dispenary owner/manager pleaded guilty Tuesday to unlawful sales of marijuana.

Steven John Wick, 26, owner and operator of The Health Collective (THC) in Lake Forest, pleaded guilty to unlawful sale of marijuana and possession of marijuana for sale, and admitted to sentencing enhancements of committing a crime while he was free on bail in a separate case, reports Larry Welborn at The Orange County Register.

Wick was sentenced to three years in state prison, according to the Orange County District Attorney’s Office.

Maine Setting Up Medical Marijuana Dispensaries, Patient Registry

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on April 6, 2010 Dispensaries, Legislation

Graphic: Medical Marijuana Blog

The Maine House of Representatives gave final approval Monday to a bill establishing medical marijuana dispensaries and a patient registration system in the state.

After a short but passionate debate, the House voted overwhelmingly, 128-17, in favor of the bill, which expands Maine’s existing medical marijuana law, reports Susan M. Cover of The Portland Press Herald.

In a November 2009 referendum, 59 percent of state voters supported allowing the nonprofit marijuana dispensaries.

The bill makes several changes to the measure approved by voters:

• It limits the number of dispensaries, at least for the first year, to one in each of eight “health districts.

• It gives the Maine Department of Health and Human Services until July 1 to establish rules regarding application and renewal fees for patients, caregivers and dispensaries. Dispensary fees will be set by the department, but will be at least $5,000 and not greater than $15,000 per year.

Washington: Marijuana Dispensary Bill Delayed

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on March 31, 2010 Dispensaries, Legislation

Graphic: North End Club 420

Washington state medical marijuana patients who have been hoping for safe and legal access are going to just have to wait.

As the Legislature’s special session continues at the state capitol, one issue that won’t be debated is a bill to legalize medical marijuana dispensaries. Sen. Jerome Delvin planned to introduce the legislation this time, but now he’s going to wait.

Delvin’s plans to introduce a medical pot dispensary bill went up in smoke when he found out just how far apart the two sides are on this issue, he told KNDU Tuesday.

Delvin said the law would have to change to get legal medical marijuana dispensaries, but the bill is off the table this session.

Activists: San Diego Pot Dispensary Ordinance Is ‘A Ban’

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on March 30, 2010 Dispensaries, Legislation

Graphic: San Diego News Network

Tough new proposed medical marijuana dispensary rules would make it almost impossible to open and operate dispensaries anywhere in unincorporated San Diego County, according to cannabis activists.

Under a proposed ordinance released for public review this month, medical marijuana dispensaries would be banned within 1,000 feet of residences, schools, playgrounds, parks, churches, and recreational centers, as well as other dispensaries.

That rule would eliminate all but a handful of the unincorporated areas of the county, according to county documents, reports Edward Sifuentes at North County Times.

Hawaii Governor Rails Against Marijuana Dispensaries

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on March 29, 2010 Dispensaries, Medical

Photo: Big Island Video News

Hawaii Gov. Linda Lingle: “Compassion centers” are an “insult,” because they are really “pot stores”

During a recent speech before the Kona-Kohala Chamber of Commerce, Hawaii Governor Linda Lingle took a hardline stance against the recent legislative effort to legalize and establish medical marijuana dispensaries for the state’s patients.

Governor Lingle pointed to the situation in California, where she claimed marijuana dispensaries now “outnumber both McDonalds and Starbucks,” reports Baron Sekiya at Big Island Video News.

The hard-hearted governor said the term “compassion centers” given to these dispensaries is an “insult,” because in reality, she says, they are simply “pot stores.”

Lingle also claims that today’s marijuana, which she says is 26 percent THC, is far more potent than the herb which was around “when we were in college,” which she claimed ran 2 to 3 percent THC.

D.A.’s Political Roast Pokes Fun At Pot Patients While Partiers Get Plastered

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on March 29, 2010 Culture, Dispensaries, News

Photo: RBerteig

Los Angeles County D.A. Steve Cooley’s idea of a good time is to make fun of medical marijuana patients while getting drunk.

Medical marijuana patients were among the punchlines at a rowdy roast last week honoring pot-hating Los Angeles District Attorney Steve Cooley. There were plenty of gags involving Cooley’s crackdown on medical marijuana, with each guest receiving rolling papers in a package reading, “Cooley’s Collective.”

Cooley, who apparently long ago gave up even the appearance of being fair and impartial when it comes to medical pot, evidently finds humor in the plight of Los Angeles patients who are facing an uncertain future due to safe access being put in jeopardy because of his policies.

While Cooley and his cronies are quick to poke fun at marijuana users — even sick and dying medical marijuana patients — drinking must be OK.

After Cooley’s roast the top financial official in Los Angeles, Miguel Santana, was arrested in the San Gabriel Valley at 12:15 a.m., on his way home from the Cooley event, for drunk driving.

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