Cannabis News The November Coalition
  Whittier Pot Club Keeps Low Profile
Posted by CN Staff on December 18, 2005 at 07:34:54 PT
By Mike Sprague, Staff Writer 
Source: Whittier Daily News  

medical Whittier -- There is little to tell people where they are. There is no fancy logo on the front, just a handwritten paper sign taped to the door. No one from the city even knew the place existed until this week, when the City Council voted to approve an ordinance allowing medical marijuana dispensaries to open in Whittier while restricting them to industrial areas of the city.

As council members debated the new law, members of the Whittier Collective, a medical marijuana dispensary operating inside a nondescript office in the Washington-Whittier Medical Center, testified at Tuesday's hearing.

The Whittier Collective is a group of about 100 medical marijuana users, according to its spokesman, who called himself John and refused to provide his full name, saying he fears federal prosecution.

In a telephone interview, John said the group picked its location precisely because it is a medical building.

"It should be in a medical facility," he said. "It shouldn't be put in an industrial area like out in a back alley. People feel more comfortable going to a medical facility."

But the office space would not be legal under the city's proposed ordinance, which will not become law until the council comes back Jan. 10 to approve the second reading of the ordinance.

However, even if the ordinance is approved, the collective could stay where it is - at least until the city's lawyers clear up the details.

Council members instructed City Attorney Dick Jones to return with a recommendation for how long the collective can legally stay at its present location.

The situation is exactly why an ordinance governing where medical marijuana dispensaries can open is needed, said Mayor Greg Nordbak, who was one of three council members to vote in favor of the ordinance.

"We can control them with location, rules and guidelines," Nordbak said. "They are legal in the state right now."

Medical marijuana dispensaries have been legal under state law since 1996, when California voters passed Proposition 215, which allows marijuana to be used for medicinal purposes. However, under federal law, marijuana is illegal to possess and use.

The Whittier Collective started because many patients want to get their medical marijuana closer to home, John said. It is not a business but more like a co-op of people who get together and provide the marijuana.

The marijuana comes from patients who grow it. Proposition 215 allows patients with marijuana prescriptions from doctors to grow up to 12 plants.

The club provides about 20 different strands, as well as various baked goods, including marijuana-laced brownies, cookies, candies and chocolates, he said.

A patient going to the clinic must have a presciption, John said.

"Security checks them and verifies their scrip," he said. "We don't just look at the letter. We actually call the doctor's office. If we can't get hold of the doctor, they can't come in."

Patients pick out the marijuana they want and then make a donation, typically about $50, he said, which pays for the lease and expenses.

Source: Whittier Daily News (CA)
Author: Mike Sprague, Staff Writer
Published: December 18, 2005
Copyright: 2005 MediaNews Group, Inc.
Contact: steve.scauzillo@sgvn.com
Website: http://www.whittierdailynews.com/

Related Articles:

Council To Allow Marijuana Clinics Pot Centers
http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread21385.shtml

City Poised To Approve Pot Centers
http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread21366.shtml

Migraine Sufferer Finds Relief from Marijuana
http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread20748.shtml


Home    Comment    Email    Register    Recent Comments    Help

 
Comment #7 posted by Max Flowers on December 19, 2005 at 10:41:36 PT
Where do they get these "reporters"?
- The club provides about 20 different strands, as well as various baked goods, including marijuana-laced brownies, cookies, candies and chocolates, he said. -

The correct word is STRAINS, not strands.... jeez louise.

[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #6 posted by whig on December 18, 2005 at 19:58:20 PT
runruff
I dunno who John Wayne is, but it's exactly like I said the other day on the thread about cannabis and psychosis, in the very same discussion that he posted to:

Comment #53 "What is psychosis, and does it relate to cannabis?" under "Blair Plans U-Turn on Cannabis"

He can think we're nutcases, that's fine. I'm not too sensitive about it, or I wouldn't say the things I do. I fully expect that people who've never seen ball lightning might not believe it exists -- I've seen it, so I can talk about it. Likewise the spiritual stuff.

Btw, OT of cannabis, but having some relationship to the "War on Drugs," check this out:

http://www.inthesetimes.com/site/main/article/2438/

[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #5 posted by runruff on December 18, 2005 at 16:45:05 PT:

Who is john wayne?
I mean the poster here at c/news. Who is he calling nut cases? Just curious? I really don't mind much if he is calling me a nut case, I am sometimes playful and a little "nutty". But I do take issue with him if he is refering to the rest of you. I simply dissagree with that assesment of the gang here at C/news.

[ Post Comment ]
 
Comment #4 posted by FoM on December 18, 2005 at 11:26:06 PT
runruff
I really am not sure. When I type a long message I copy it to the browser so if something messes up I can re-do the post. Maybe if you go back using your back button you might be able to recover what you posted and try again.

[ Post Comment ]
 
Comment #3 posted by runruff on December 18, 2005 at 11:16:57 PT:

FoM
I just typed out a loooong post and just as I was finishing, it dissapeared. Do you know what happened?

[ Post Comment ]
 
Comment #2 posted by FoM on December 18, 2005 at 09:06:34 PT
Christmas Music Video
Enjoy

Christmas Eve In Sarajevo

Savatage

3 min 40 sec - Dec 5, 2005

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6787154900077932185&q=trans+siberian+orchestra

[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #1 posted by ekim on December 18, 2005 at 07:41:33 PT
Sen Finegold get up and say something--
US WI: Sheriff's Department Receives Drug Investigation Fund

URL: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v05/n1973/a08.html Newshawk: Wisconsin NORML http://www.winorml.org Votes: 0 Pubdate: Fri, 16 Dec 2005 Source: Watertown Daily Times (WI) Copyright: 2005 Watertown Daily Times Contact: news@wdtimes.com Website: http://www.wdtimes.com Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3929 Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/af.htm (Asset Forfeiture)

SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT RECEIVES DRUG INVESTIGATION FUND

JUNEAU - The Dodge County Drug Task Force has received $15,165.71 from the United States Drug Enforcement Administration as a result of a 2003 drug investigation.

It is the second payment the department has received as the result of a 2003 drug seizure involving a town of Clyman couple.

In May of 2004, the department received $24,795.29 from the U.S. Marshal's office for the local involvement in the drug investigation.

In June of 2003, Dodge County Sheriff's Department personnel initiated an investigation into the manufacturing of marijuana at the Donald and Sandra Otto residence on Sun Road in the town of Clyman.

During the investigation, authorities learned that Robert Dillon of Pleasant Prairie was involved in growing marijuana with the Otto's. Dodge County investigators worked with the State Department of Justice Narcotics Bureau investigators and obtained search warrants for the Otto and Dillon residences.

On June 4, 2003, law enforcement officers from Dodge County and the state served a search warrant at the Otto residence. Located in the basement of the Otto residence was a marijuana growing room housing 307 marijuana plants.

There was also discovered equipment used in the manufacturing of marijuana, approximately 150 grams of processed marijuana, drug paraphernalia, 22 firearms, and $6,726 in currency. Investigators later searched a safety-deposit box utilized by the Ottos and recovered $50,000.

On the same day, law enforcement officers from the Pleasant Prairie Police Department, Kenosha County Controlled Substances Unit and the state served a search warrant at the Robert Dillon residence in Kenosha County. Located at the Dillon residence were 71 marijuana plants, more than one pound of processed marijuana, 17 firearms, and more than $800. Investigators later recovered $15,470.15 and $16,721.89 from Dillon bank accounts and $5,000 from a Dillon safety deposit box.

Dodge County and Wisconsin Narcotics Bureau investigators have been working with federal authorities to seize and forfeit the Otto and Dillon monies and residences.

In March of 2004, the Ottos were sentenced in the U.S. District Court for their roles in the marijuana-growing operation based in their home. Donald Otto, 49, was sentenced to 57 months in prison and Sandra, 45, was sentenced to 37 months in prison. In addition, the couple was ordered to forfeit their home in the town of Clyman, a truck and $95,000. Both had pled guilty to growing marijuana in their home.

Dillion was sentenced to 51 months in prison for growing marijuana and ordered to forfeit his home in Pleasant Prairie.

The $15,000 recently received is a portion of the proceeds received from the sale of the Dillon property in Kenosha County.

Sheriff Todd Nehls pointed out the investigation was initiated as a result of a citizen complaint forwarded to Dodge County authorities.

Such information can now be reported anonymously through the use of the newly created WeTip program in Dodge County, a nationally recognized program that allows citizens to report crimes. With the WeTip phone line, 1-800-78-CRIME, callers who have information about a crime can call and speak to an operator about the information without identifying themselves. Tips can also be submitted via WeTip's Web site at www.wetip.com.

All informants who call are eligible to receive up to a $1,000 reward when a tip leads to an arrest and conviction.

[ Post Comment ]

  Post Comment
Name:        Password:
E-Mail:

Subject:

Comment:   [Please refrain from using profanity in your message]

Link URL:
Link Title:


Return to Main Menu


So everyone may enjoy this service and to keep it running, here are some guidelines: NO spamming, NO commercial advertising, NO flamming, NO illegal activity, and NO sexually explicit materials. Lastly, we reserve the right to remove any message for any reason!

This web page and related elements are for informative purposes only and thus the use of any of this information is at your risk! We do not own nor are responsible for visitor comments. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107 and The Berne Convention on Literary and Artistic Works, Article 10, news clippings on this site are made available without profit for research and educational purposes. Any trademarks, trade names, service marks, or service names used on this site are the property of their respective owners. Page updated on December 18, 2005 at 07:34:54