Looking at Washington boards..click here

[shemper]

paul in south snohomish county - formerly living in nw wa. enjoying the company on these boards. always looking to meet like minded people so this is great. thanks

[Sensimilla]

Nice to meet you all. I don't want to be redundant by posting a bio when I made my own intro thread.

[kurt0099]

quit complaining I live in ocean shores

[Wolf420]

Howdy from Lakewood!

[david98686]

David here, med patient-grower from Vancouver..

[najeena]

Newly permitted on Vashon. Ahoy!

[questionslp6]

hi!


I am from everett,wa and currently reside. I became a medical patient at the end of 08, and since have had alot of fun helping other patients out with finding meds and whatnot. Hit me up if your close and lets smoke!

[ej22wagon]

Hi all, a little place between lakewood and tacoma is where I'm from. Saying HIGH and most likely by I was in a thread that broke the rules. sorry I like to help. Legal in Wa.

[david98686]

Yes, things are changing down here in SW Washington and not neccessarliy in the best interests of the patient community:
A lot of patients I've talked to in and around Vancouver are really upset by the counties response that a patient giving another patient a cutting or clone was delivery even the the county and city are apparently going to allow a storefront dispensary to open in town.
( EMC1130 (PNWCC) on Twitter )
A friend is drafting a letter to the Clark County Prosecuting Attorney: Art Curtis, Mailing Address: P.O. Box 5000, Vancouver, WA 98666.

This is only a rough draft and this is a very important. It really applies mainly to his situation as a patient but it would be appreciated if other patients would read the draft and mail letters of their own to the Clark county, and, or both the prosecutors and police chiefs of the two local counties.
Draft follows:

Dear Sir,
I am writing in response to a recent third party conversation Iâ??ve had with a Vancouver Police Officer. I had asked the legality of one qualifying patient handing another a marijuana plant
and or marijuana. I understand the officer conferred with the District Attorneyâ??s office. The response I received was your office interprets that activity as delivery of a controlled substance.
An illegal act. I am asking that you reconsider on the following grounds.

The Washington State medical marijuana laws have no provision on how a patient may obtain marijuana or marijuana plants. There is a provision for a Designated Provider but that merely takes us up the ladder one rung. There is no provision on how the provider obtains plants.

(Other than my qualifying patient status the following is anecdotal. I havenâ??t any knowledge of times, places or the individuals that have attended.)

Iâ??m part of a loose knit community of qualifying patients in Clark County. Iâ??ve heard that in the past there have been social â??get-togethers.â?� Only documented patients, providers and immediate family are allowed to attend. At these gatherings it is typical for patients to bring clippings, slips, rooted plants and marijuana to be given away. Though I know â??deliveryâ?� isnâ??t
dependent upon money changing hands itâ??s my understanding that these were given, not sold.

(Anecdotal paragraph ends)

I was considering hosting such an event myself until I queried the officer. A conviction and jail time being a deterrent. I feel this deterrent is detrimental to the Clark County medical marijuana community. Allow me to explain.

In general, the community wishes to keep the black market at armâ??s length. And, of course,purchasing marijuana or plants from the black market is illegal. Thereâ??s a feeling of isolationamong us. We have only ourselves for support.

Many people who arenâ??t familiar with the intricacies of medical marijuana are not aware that one plant is not necessarily like the other. Different strains and harvest times have different affects on the patient. Some plants offer relief for insomnia, others for nausea or pain, etc.
Many patients have experimented for several years with different varieties until theyâ??ve found what works best for their particular malady. These social gatherings give people the opportunity to test different plants for their effectiveness. Further, it gives them the option of obtaining the plants for their own garden.

Newly qualified patients often find they havenâ??t the resources to obtain plants for themselves.
They simply donâ??t know where to get plants, what plants and how to grow them once they do.
The community is a wealth of knowledge on growing techniques and problem solving. Also, Ibelieve obtaining plants from other patients is a safer method then whatever may be availableâ??on the street.â?�

A catastrophic event can easily wipe out an individualâ??s grow. If we are allowed to support one another we would be able to replace the loss without venturing outside the community.

Iâ??m not asking for an increase in the existing limits under the law. Iâ??m not asking your office to condone a free for all. Iâ??m asking for compassion. If we are allowed to, we can support ourselves.

I donâ??t wish to appear argumentative, however the following has me curious.
I understand that Clark County law enforcement has given the go-ahead to a business that plans to open a dispensary or co-op. On the face of it I find that encouraging. It leads me to believe Clark County has become aware of the usefulness of marijuana as a medicine.
Though most of us are self sufficient Iâ??m sure this business will provide a service for many.

What Iâ??m curious about is how this business has managed to sway law enforcement when it is blatantly illegal. More so, in my opinion, than patients helping patients. We arenâ??t interested in helping one another for money. We want to help one another simply because we care.

I donâ??t understand how this business can have a store front but we would put ourselves at risk of prosecution for handing one another a plant. To me the business appears more of a violation of the patient\caregiver law then what it is Iâ??m asking you to allow.

In closing, once again Iâ??ll ask that you reconsider your stance in this matter. Further, Iâ??ll offer that if you allow me a â??sanctionedâ?� get together a representative from your office or the police department will be welcomed so that you cans see firsthand what I have been describing: Patients helping patients, in a safe environment, for no other reason than compassion.

Thank you,

[gypski]

I think your letter is straight forward and right to the point. Proof read and correct some joined words and paragraph spacing. :thumbsup:

And not to allow free exchange between patients and then on the other hand allow a dispensary by unknown individuals sounds very hypocritical to me. Maybe its LEO who is going to run the dispensary.

I still believe non-profits are a good way to go, but as always here in the WA forum, that's debateable. Not everyone can grow and the market is vast if those really in need were able to fully come out of the proverbial closet with LEO following the dictates of the law and not reinterpreting to fit their paradygm. That also goes for the laggards in the legislature who refuse to face the inevitable. Time for them to be the truely responsible stewards of the people and make medical marijuana readily available to those in need either profit or non profit or both. :jointsmile: