Washington State Dispensary Busted

[MeLoco]

I am posting this here to see if the kind people of California have any advise. Long story made short. Police raided a dispensary yesterday. The first dispensary bust ever in the state of Washington.

I know what you're thinking, Seattle right? WRONG it was little ol' p-dunk Spokane. Apparently the deputy prosecutor wants to make a name for himself, well he has, and he's probably the most hated person in town right now. John Grasso deputy prosecutor.

The remaining dispensaries are hosting protests and said they would open the next day, but all I saw was a sign telling me where the next protest was being held. I know California has experience with politicians that want to be famous, so I'm asking. Is there anything that can be done?

Of course the care givers that were arrested are going to fight the charges in court and maybe we can get some clarity on the ambiguous laws surrounding MMJ. And of course I've helped in the protests and have written the Prosecutor's office, telling them exactly what I think of them, but aside from that is there anything at all that a normal person can do?

Just curious.
Mel

P.S. this 50 posts before you can show pictures on your threads blows big fat monkey chunks, I'm from Washington, I'd have to have a long conversation with myself to get 50 posts, aren't you really encouraging people to spam the threads?

MeLoco Reviewed by MeLoco on 09-11-2009. Washington State Dispensary Busted I am posting this here to see if the kind people of California have any advise. Long story made short. Police raided a dispensary yesterday. The first dispensary bust ever in the state of Washington. I know what you're thinking, Seattle right? WRONG it was little ol' p-dunk Spokane. Apparently the deputy prosecutor wants to make a name for himself, well he has, and he's probably the most hated person in town right now. John Grasso deputy prosecutor. The remaining dispensaries are Rating: 5

[VapedG13]

Arent Co-ops/stores/dispensaries illegal in washington...why yes they are....Thats why I tell everyone I know in Washington to be independent get your doctors note and grow your own.

Did people have to give their MMJ card info to the store before you could make a purchase?? Normally you do.... If the store kept your info on file guess who now has your personal info

Dispensaries are still operating in the grey in Washington State.....Like Obama stated its up to the state if they want to bust stores they wont get any federal funding but I guess spokane is made of money.

[VapedG13]

Dont Feel bad man 14 stores were raided in California by LEO yesterday:wtf:

More than two dozen people operating marijuana dispensaries were arrested in countywide raids that also shut down 14 storefronts, authorities announced Thursday morning.
District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis said the search warrants served at dispensaries and some homes Wednesday â??has nothing to do with legitimate medical marijuana patients or their caregivers.â?�
She said the 14 storefronts targeted were â??so-called medical marijuana businesses that appear to be run by drug dealers.â?�
Officials declined to give details about the backgrounds of those arrested, but San Diego Police Chief William Lansdowne said some of those in custody have prior drug arrests.
Authorities said they are still tallying the amount of marijuana and money seized in the operation. At least $70,000 of cash was seized and six guns were taken into custody, officials said.
Lansdowne said Wednesday's search and seizures culminated a five-month investigation that started with residents' complaints of the dispensaries.
Neighbors cited noise, vandalism and other crimes associated with storefronts, Dumanis said.
â??There are now 60 storefronts operating and doing this under the guise of helping people who are sick,â?� she said.
In an area of Pacific Beach, for instance, Dumanis said five such dispensaries are within blocks of each other. â??It is easier to find marijuana there than to find a Starbucks for a latte,â?� she said.
Lansdowne said the businesses targeted were chosen based on the number of residents' complaints and the amount of activity happening at the businesses.
According to the state's medical marijuana laws and the Attorney General's guidelines, it is illegal to profit from the sale or distribution of marijuana.
The user has to have a recommendation for medical marijuana by a physician. That person, and or his or her caregiver, need to be verified members of a collective or cooperative in order to be compliant with medical marijuana laws.
For example, authorities said dispensaries that merely require patients to complete a form that designates the business owner as the patient's primary caregiver, then offer marijuana in exchange for â??donationsâ?� are likely illegal and not compliant with medical marijuana laws.
Lansdowne said some of the businesses in the city advertise they accept donations but they won't give out the product without receiving a â??donation.â?�
Dumanis said patients or their designated caregivers who are lawfully recommended by a physician can cultivate plants on their property for their use.
Deputy District Attorney Steve Walter said 23 people were arrested in San Diego and eight people were arrested in North County. Two men arrested face federal charges.
Walter said he was not sure if the men prosecuted in federal court are in addition to the 31 arrested.
The investigation is still ongoing, he said.
Karen Hewitt, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of California, said one of the men faces three counts of federal charges including two counts for distributing a controlled substance and one count of manufacturing marijuana plants. He was arrested at the Green Kross Collective on Mission Boulevard near Lido Court in San Diego.
The second man facing federal prosecution was arrested at the Movement in Action store on South Santa Fe Avenue near Alta Calle in Vista.
He faces three counts of distributing a controlled substance, Hewitt said. If convicted of all counts, Hewitt said he faces up to five years in prison.
Hewitt declined to say why the two men face federal charges but noted that it did not have to do with the amount of marijuana or cash seized.
â??It has more to do with the overall investigation and other federal investigations that I can't get into,â?� she said.

Angelica Martinez: (619) 293-1317;
Related Terms: Bonnie Dumanis, Marijuana, North County, Pacific Beach, Starbucks, Clairemont Mesa, Hillcrest
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[boaz]

According to the state's medical marijuana laws and the Attorney General's guidelines, it is illegal to profit from the sale or distribution of marijuana.

The user has to have a recommendation for medical marijuana by a physician. That person, and or his or her caregiver, need to be verified members of a collective or cooperative in order to be compliant with medical marijuana laws.

For example, authorities said dispensaries that merely require patients to complete a form that designates the business owner as the patient's primary caregiver, then offer marijuana in exchange for â??donationsâ?� are likely illegal and not compliant with medical marijuana laws.
Lansdowne said some of the businesses in the city advertise they accept donations but they won't give out the product without receiving a â??donation.â?�

Dumanis said patients or their designated caregivers who are lawfully recommended by a physician can cultivate plants on their property for their use."


my first thought was aren't coops illegal in California, too? I guess this kinda answers that. i did not know that it was the law they had to be not for profit, I had always thought some volunteered to do that or something to get on the good side of the community and leo, but i guess it is actually the law. according to this dude anyways.

yeah, i agree with the above poster grow your own if you can. there is nothing better than bud picked from your own plants. :rasta:

[the image reaper]

the problem lies with people's greed, wanting to hurry up, and 'cash in' fast, without understanding, or obeying, the LAWS :wtf: ... the prosecutor doesn't give a rats-ass, if you 'agree' with the Laws, or not ... if ya can't do the time, don't do the crime, as the saying goes ... I would never dream of setting up a dispensary, without having a top-notch attorney thoroughly review my plans ... here's an idea: find a competent pot attorney, and cut him into a piece of the action, make him a partner ... then proceed, and follow the Law, to the letter :smokin:

[MeLoco]

I have to be honest, I thought they were legal, it just doesn't make any sense for them to be illegal. the only other real option is to grow it and that takes 3-4 months minimum. How is that humane? you tell people they can have relief from their affliction but only if they still have the capacity to grow a garden and only if they can wait that long? WTF? Seriously what the fuck?

When was the last time they made a medical patient mix up a batch of their own hydrocodene? huh when was the last time they made a patient cook up a batch of their own oxycontin? How is that fair? How is that NOT discrimination?

[killerweed420]

Yes dispensaries and co-ops are illegal in Washington. You can only have a caregiver grow for you and he can only grow for one person and he can not use the MJ himself.
A lot of work still needs to be done here. Someone needs to start another intiative to fix this and have the voters vote on it.

[boaz]

I have to be honest, I thought they were legal, it just doesn't make any sense for them to be illegal. the only other real option is to grow it and that takes 3-4 months minimum. How is that humane? you tell people they can have relief from their affliction but only if they still have the capacity to grow a garden and only if they can wait that long? WTF? Seriously what the fuck?

When was the last time they made a medical patient mix up a batch of their own hydrocodene? huh when was the last time they made a patient cook up a batch of their own oxycontin? How is that fair? How is that NOT discrimination?

i agree. i would never have the cajone's myself to open up a dispensary if i knew it could be busted but i have a lot of respect for people like Dennis Peron who i think was the first person to open up a dispensary for medical cannabis patients, BEFORE prop 215. i'm no expert but i think even after 215 was passed, this did not technically "legalize" dispensaries in California, although they were obviously tolerated by the local leo.

i support the not for profit coop idea but, at the same time, i know that in the real world running a cannabis dispensary is a HUGE risk and therefore the people who do it deserve a risk premium for their services. But, at the same time you hate to see someone make millions of profits and then flaunt their wealth. that seems to take away from the whole spirit of prop 215.

I like New Mexico's idea of having state run distibutors, that would, one would assume, solve the risk of getting busted and allow them to function legally not for profit. . . . and then let the grower yield whatever profit the market demands for his or her crop.

[boaz]

the problem lies with people's greed, wanting to hurry up, and 'cash in' fast, without understanding, or obeying, the LAWS :wtf: ... the prosecutor doesn't give a rats-ass, if you 'agree' with the Laws, or not ... if ya can't do the time, don't do the crime, as the saying goes ... I would never dream of setting up a dispensary, without having a top-notch attorney thoroughly review my plans ... here's an idea: find a competent pot attorney, and cut him into a piece of the action, make him a partner ... then proceed, and follow the Law, to the letter :smokin:

or do this ^.

[killerweed420]

But that is the problem. The laws are way to vague, so trying to stay in compliance is almost impossible. Here in Washington leo doesn't really care what the laws are anyway. I have seen to many cases where people are trying to follow the law and LEO comes and tears up your plants and arrests you anyway. Then the financial costs for innocently arrested defendants become impossible to deal with. LEO has all the money and power, you have none. I have been involved with a couple of these cases personally and can tell you I have been appalled the attitude of our public servants. They could care less how sick you are.