Jim Finnel
Fallen Cannabis Warrior & Ex News Moderator
SPOKANE -- Thursday marked the first time owners of a medical marijuana dispensary have been arrested in Washington since voters made dispensaries legal more than a decade ago. It's a case both sides hope will clear up a very vague law.
When police raided Chris Stevens' home on Thursday, confiscating marijuana plants and growing equipment, his attorney wasn't surprised. Frank Cikutovich says he saw it coming since Stevens and Scott Shupe opened Change, a medical marijuana dispensary, a few months ago.
"They've all indicated they know this is going on and they weren't sure what to do with it... but they were receiving a lot of pressure from the community of how can there be somebody openly selling marijuana in Spokane," Cikutovich said. "So that's what I think pressured them to finally do something in this case."
Under state law, it's legal for a sick patient with a prescription to buy and use marijuana. But how the drug is sold is up for interpretation.
"These dispensaries can provide marijuana to one person and what's happening is they are dispensing to hundreds and thousands of people," said Spokane Police spokesperson Ofc. Jen DeRuwe.
Police say the pair were taking advantage of the law, a law, Cikutovich says needs to be more clear.
"It was written vague and passed vague in 1998 and there was no way to deliver medicine to patients," said Cikutovich.
Stevens and Shupe have been charged with possessing and distributing marijuana.
"So now, the question ultimately will go to the courts," Cikutovich said. "How do you interpret the law and how do citizens access their medicine?"
An answer police, patients, and so many more are waiting for.
"It's a terrible thing when you have a law nobody understands," Cikutovich said. "That's what we have right now, this gray area and great arguments for both sides.. so we need an answer the question."
Stevens and Shupe are scheduled to be arraigned next week.
NewsHawk: User: 420 MAGAZINE ® - Medical Marijuana Publication & Social Networking
Source: KXLY
Copyright: 2009 WorldNow and KXLY
Contact: KXLY.com: News, Weather and Sports for Spokane, WA and Coeur d'Alene, ID | - Home
Website: Attorney: Marijuana bust exposes vague law - KXLY.com: News, Weather and Sports for Spokane, WA and Coeur d'Alene, ID |
When police raided Chris Stevens' home on Thursday, confiscating marijuana plants and growing equipment, his attorney wasn't surprised. Frank Cikutovich says he saw it coming since Stevens and Scott Shupe opened Change, a medical marijuana dispensary, a few months ago.
"They've all indicated they know this is going on and they weren't sure what to do with it... but they were receiving a lot of pressure from the community of how can there be somebody openly selling marijuana in Spokane," Cikutovich said. "So that's what I think pressured them to finally do something in this case."
Under state law, it's legal for a sick patient with a prescription to buy and use marijuana. But how the drug is sold is up for interpretation.
"These dispensaries can provide marijuana to one person and what's happening is they are dispensing to hundreds and thousands of people," said Spokane Police spokesperson Ofc. Jen DeRuwe.
Police say the pair were taking advantage of the law, a law, Cikutovich says needs to be more clear.
"It was written vague and passed vague in 1998 and there was no way to deliver medicine to patients," said Cikutovich.
Stevens and Shupe have been charged with possessing and distributing marijuana.
"So now, the question ultimately will go to the courts," Cikutovich said. "How do you interpret the law and how do citizens access their medicine?"
An answer police, patients, and so many more are waiting for.
"It's a terrible thing when you have a law nobody understands," Cikutovich said. "That's what we have right now, this gray area and great arguments for both sides.. so we need an answer the question."
Stevens and Shupe are scheduled to be arraigned next week.
NewsHawk: User: 420 MAGAZINE ® - Medical Marijuana Publication & Social Networking
Source: KXLY
Copyright: 2009 WorldNow and KXLY
Contact: KXLY.com: News, Weather and Sports for Spokane, WA and Coeur d'Alene, ID | - Home
Website: Attorney: Marijuana bust exposes vague law - KXLY.com: News, Weather and Sports for Spokane, WA and Coeur d'Alene, ID |
