Want to start a not for profit co-op that provides free Cannabis in Los Angeles

I have started working out the papers on a free co-op that provides for people who are to sick to grow their own, and to poor to go out and buy. Our membership will be restricted to people with cancer, aids, MS or other aggressive medical problems. I came to this idea over the last few weeks and chatting with some growers on line about their feeling about how the business works. I am a long time economic activist and I see cannabis is a great place to draw a line in the sand and fight on many issues... What are people thought about this.

sounds respectable to me

excellent man !! go for it !! free meds :thumbsup:

there once was great place in the area of santacruz,, the group did exactly what you dream of !! they opend the WAMM wo/mens alliance co-op for terminally ill patients and gave away free meds! you could use their model and learn from their mistakes! ;)

Welcome to WAMM.org | The Wo/Men's Alliance For Medical Marijuana

good luck keep on keepin on :thumbsup:

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Originally Posted by veggii

excellent man !! go for it !! free meds :thumbsup:

there once was great place in the area of santacruz,, the group did exactly what you dream of !! they opend the WAMM wo/mens alliance co-op for terminally ill patients and gave away free meds! you could use their model and learn from their mistakes! ;)

Welcome to WAMM.org | The Wo/Men's Alliance For Medical Marijuana

good luck keep on keepin on :thumbsup:

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Thanks so much for the info that will be very helpful.

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Originally Posted by mendelsdream

I have started working out the papers on a free co-op that provides for people who are to sick to grow their own, and to poor to go out and buy. Our membership will be restricted to people with cancer, aids, MS or other aggressive medical problems. I came to this idea over the last few weeks and chatting with some growers on line about their feeling about how the business works. I am a long time economic activist and I see cannabis is a great place to draw a line in the sand and fight on many issues... What are people thought about this.

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Another odd note, it is strange filling out the paperwork for a not for profit, part of it is about fed tax I.D. You are signing on the dotted line that you are breaking federal law. It makes me not want to sleep in my bed. Part of it is just paranoia, but part of it is being smart. It is kind of messed up but it is wrong in any just society for people to make massive profits off of others suffering... There are many higher causes that our laws just look right past for reasons that I have yet to fully understand. Once we get the papers all cleared which takes a few months we will start working with Doctors telling them about us and a option for some of their patients. We wish to run this in that sort of a way. We will not be a walk in place. We will have a very strict set of guide lines for our clients, we will be able to get more clients as we grow but we are doing it all by the books so that means we will grow slow.

I want to do something very similar except I will do deliveries only at fees that will only cover my costs. I wasn't sure if I'd be allowed to do it because of the current moratorium in LA County. If you could give me more info, that'd be great. My email address is: [email protected]
Thanks

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Originally Posted by mendelsdream

I have started working out the papers on a free co-op that provides for people who are to sick to grow their own, and to poor to go out and buy. Our membership will be restricted to people with cancer, aids, MS or other aggressive medical problems. I came to this idea over the last few weeks and chatting with some growers on line about their feeling about how the business works. I am a long time economic activist and I see cannabis is a great place to draw a line in the sand and fight on many issues... What are people thought about this.

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well done guys and girls.your example should inspire others. i grow for pleasure but donate most to ill friends.

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Originally Posted by paradoxical

I want to do something very similar except I will do deliveries only at fees that will only cover my costs. I wasn't sure if I'd be allowed to do it because of the current moratorium in LA County. If you could give me more info, that'd be great. My email address is: [email protected]
Thanks

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Me and about 6 of my friends have started this not for profit. As I understand we can not run a walk up store front business as per the current moratorium or any business per say. We are a free service. We only use our State legal 6 plants per person to run our program. We are working a bit like Robin Hood working with doctors and very sick people. It is slow going because we can't produce enough product legally, but it is very important for us to work under the laws of the state because we support the law, and what it can do for the state.

Marinol and other such drugs are very spendy and medical grade cannabis can be much less spendy but still a bank breaker for some who need it so we work with doctors to help us bridge the gap between us and those who need it. But we are not selling anything at all so we do not fit under any of the models that the moratorium falls under as per my understanding because their is no exchange of anything at this point. We wish to grow but we are going to wait how all of this shakes out.

At the moment until all of our paper work comes back from the state we are just kind of doing it on a friend to friend level. Even we when get our papers back we want to grow in that kind of a fashion very grass roots very personal.

Instead of personally growing everybodys meds and dealing with the cost of stuff numbers of plants and such i would asisst the low income and people in need of in growing there own.

I would like to do it the same way, and trying to get specifics off the internet is near impossible. I know that in LA County no new dispensaries are allowed, but understand that a cooperative or collective is. Many local cities have put an indefinite moratorium on them. Personally, I think it's against state law for them to do that, whether they like the law or not. But, as the cities make the laws in their cities, possibly they have the legal right to ban anything to do with MJ. As are you, Being a libertarian, I cannot fathom how government can tell adults what to ingest. They did it with alcohol, and look what happened. Now with marijuana, and everyone knows the results. My questions for you and the other that has started a cooperative/collectivem, I am aware it has to be non profit, and all participants have to have a doctors prescription, and join your group. I also understand that donations can be accepted for your time and expense in growing and delivering. The tricky question is what constitutes a profit. If it costs me $100.00 in electricity to grow it, and I spend 10 hours tending to it and preparing it, and then delivering it, am I still supposed to give it away for zero? I don't think so. But, that's an issue the courts will decide eventually.
My question to you is: What steps do I need to take to start a collective? I know I'd need a company name, a tax ID#, and a specially drawn up form to state the rules of my non profit cooperative. Other than that, what do I need? Do I need a business license? Do I also need permission from LA County to grow an additional 6 plants for other members of my collective? What else would be involved? I know there's a few schools that tell you what you need. But, they want $250.00 and want to sell you their equipment and additional legal advice.
Thanks to anyone who has this info.

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Originally Posted by mendelsdream

Me and about 6 of my friends have started this not for profit. As I understand we can not run a walk up store front business as per the current moratorium or any business per say. We are a free service. We only use our State legal 6 plants per person to run our program. We are working a bit like Robin Hood working with doctors and very sick people. It is slow going because we can't produce enough product legally, but it is very important for us to work under the laws of the state because we support the law, and what it can do for the state.

Marinol and other such drugs are very spendy and medical grade cannabis can be much less spendy but still a bank breaker for some who need it so we work with doctors to help us bridge the gap between us and those who need it. But we are not selling anything at all so we do not fit under any of the models that the moratorium falls under as per my understanding because their is no exchange of anything at this point. We wish to grow but we are going to wait how all of this shakes out.

At the moment until all of our paper work comes back from the state we are just kind of doing it on a friend to friend level. Even we when get our papers back we want to grow in that kind of a fashion very grass roots very personal.

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Originally Posted by phatsesh101

Instead of personally growing everybodys meds and dealing with the cost of stuff numbers of plants and such i would asisst the low income and people in need of in growing there own.

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This is one thing we do want to get into... We are growing hydro we have made our own systems that are very cheap, and very easy to use they almost run on their own a little tweaking and testing every night but that is about it. I think this would work great for many, but we also know that some people are to sick for even this those are the people we are reaching out to.

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Originally Posted by paradoxical

I would like to do it the same way, and trying to get specifics off the internet is near impossible. I know that in LA County no new dispensaries are allowed, but understand that a cooperative or collective is. Many local cities have put an indefinite moratorium on them. Personally, I think it's against state law for them to do that, whether they like the law or not. But, as the cities make the laws in their cities, possibly they have the legal right to ban anything to do with MJ. As are you, Being a libertarian, I cannot fathom how government can tell adults what to ingest. They did it with alcohol, and look what happened. Now with marijuana, and everyone knows the results. My questions for you and the other that has started a cooperative/collectivem, I am aware it has to be non profit, and all participants have to have a doctors prescription, and join your group. I also understand that donations can be accepted for your time and expense in growing and delivering. The tricky question is what constitutes a profit. If it costs me $100.00 in electricity to grow it, and I spend 10 hours tending to it and preparing it, and then delivering it, am I still supposed to give it away for zero? I don't think so. But, that's an issue the courts will decide eventually.
My question to you is: What steps do I need to take to start a collective? I know I'd need a company name, a tax ID#, and a specially drawn up form to state the rules of my non profit cooperative. Other than that, what do I need? Do I need a business license? Do I also need permission from LA County to grow an additional 6 plants for other members of my collective? What else would be involved? I know there's a few schools that tell you what you need. But, they want $250.00 and want to sell you their equipment and additional legal advice.
Thanks to anyone who has this info.

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I at the moment am running on pure loss in terms of money. I am eating all costs. For a time me and those who I am working with have money to burn so to say, it will run out our hope is that by that time some of the laws will be more stable and the authorities will be able to have a more clear idea of the business picture of legal cannibis. At the moment nothing is clear... And because of the complex status of medical MJ it won't be for some time. This is how I feel based on the reading I have done and questions I have asked. But I am hoping that the lack of money changing hands will shelter me from all of this... In time we will need to make some money so we can reach more people but at them moment that is not a problem. So for the moment we have side stepped the problem.

Can you tell me what other steps you've taken to be legal? As far as licenses, permits. Do I need to attend the Cannibas Institute first to learn all the rules and regulations?
Also, could you provide any details about your hydro system?

yeah most often it was a small setup 6 plants under a 400 or t5s or something affordable, the local mapp rumage sells helped growers offering old equip and stuff for cheap. then asisst in building a cabinet or whatever in a space and leave them with a week or two premixed nutes. a short veg followed and into flower in a peat setup, a cup of water per plant per day and viola easy peasy. all they really had to do was water. never asked anything most were greatful and would give me gas, meds, most often oxys, they wanted the buds LOL.

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Originally Posted by paradoxical

Can you tell me what other steps you've taken to be legal? As far as licenses, permits. Do I need to attend the Cannibas Institute first to learn all the rules and regulations?
Also, could you provide any details about your hydro system?

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This is how I understand it the State of CA did not legalize weed as per my understanding they decriminalized medical cannabis. That is a tricky line and being by the books and not by the books can really depend on which way the wind blows, the feeling of the police in your area, and the judge that your case is heard by... Cities are fighting to set guide lines, their reasons are monetary, but it will be hard in such a odd legal environment. I feel that this is one of those things that many people may tell you many things that don't matter much. I am not sure about the Cannabis Institute I know they teach classes not sure what they can tell you that one could not find out for ones self, as for license and permits city business tax License, tax I.D., and not for profit is what I understand, but does that make you legal no because under the status of the controlled substance act it is still not legal, but decriminalized in CA. What that means when one sells or gives away cannabis it is hard to say, judges are still setting legal precedents on the subject. The idea decriminalization gives a great deal of wiggle room for hardline judges, and police who have a bone to pick, and even worse they can always turn you in to the D.E.A. I am new to all of this and I am not a lawyer but this is what I have come to understand. One must read all they can talk to people use common sense, cross your fingers and not be greedy. If all goes well you wonâ??t find your self in some endless legal battle that goes to the core of the fight about states rights, private interest groups, and democracy itself. Those cases are not short. As for me I look forward to that battle.

Before you fill out any paper work, GET AN L.L.C.,"S"corp started first? WHY?? because no name are used you can pay fed taxes and never get cauth, and make a shitload of money and the i.r.s. cant do shit!! or how do you think the big boys steal?? But most of all ya need to talk to someone with a buss dgree before the corp world eat you up!! just the idea of free weed were it being sole will get ya in trouble real fast!But what your idea is, not in my life time! lol! not in L.A. thats for sure. Peace and POT!

mendal, that's sort of what I thought. I have read and read and read some more, and wanted some feel from people that were already set up. I read that cities are busting people that set up as coops or collectives when they trade out of retail type locations. The key is not to "profit". That leaves people with having to work from home and do deliveries. That leaves a problem of the cops raiding your house, and the feds taking your home away from you, unless you rent. Personally, I have a pretty nice house, and don't want the feds confiscating it. But, I understand if you grow no more than 99 plants, the feds won't touch you. There's a lot of things to consider. Where i live which is somewhat remote, it's unlikeley patients would come to me, anyway. Plus, the few neighbors I have would object to me openly growing grass. I doubt I could get the city to give me a permit to grow weed. (Do I need a weed grwoing permit?)

A few of my friends are in the middle of the same thing for our collective garden , perpetual grow. Im a new poster to these boards so i seem to lack the ability to PM but would be interested in talking if i could figure out how :P

they need to have it on in there cp