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ANAHEIM — While Anaheim continues to ban all medical-marijuana dispensaries within its borders and fight for that prohibition in court, the city-owned Convention Center will host a huge marijuana expo that will allow card-carrying medical-marijuana patients to smoke pot on site.
The Kush Expo is set to run Friday through Sunday in the convention hall and is billed by its organizer, Monster Events International, as the "biggest medical-marijuana expo to hit Orange County."
The expo, open to people 18 and older, is expected to include dozens of booths featuring representatives from dispensaries and collectives, growing equipment, seed companies, hemp clothing and pot-related art. Live concerts featuring reggae and tribute acts to Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd also are planned.
But what most sets this expo apart, organizers said, is a "designated (marijuana) smoking area" outside the back of the convention hall. That fact is being touted in advertising and on the event website, kushexpo.com.
No pot will be sold on site, but legitimate medical patients who have their own marijuana will be allowed to smoke it in that area, said Rick Walker, a Laguna Niguel entrepreneur who is helping organize the expo.
Patients also may try out pipes, bongs or other marijuana paraphernalia for sale at the expo while inside the designated zone, he said.
"We went back and forth with (convention officials) and attorneys, but we argued that the people who need medical marijuana need it every few hours and they may not be able to attend otherwise," Walker said. "So we're thrilled they gave us a designated space."
Walker said the area will be secured and only patients with official cards will be allowed inside the smoking zone. He added he is unconcerned about patients being searched or harassed by law-enforcement since "what they are doing is perfectly legal according to the state," he said.
City officials are aware or the designated smoking area, which by code must be at least 25 feet from any door to the hall, said city spokeswoman Ruth Ruiz.
"There will be no smoking of any kind inside the venue, but they (legitimate patients with cards) will have the right to smoke outside as anybody with a cigarette typically would," Ruiz said. "Police will staff the event as they would any convention, but no additional staffing is expected."
Possession of marijuana is prohibited under federal law, but state law allows for use by qualified medical patients.
Anaheim bans all medical-marijuana dispensaries — the city's law is being challenged in court by patients who say it is unfair.
Legal experts had been looking to the case to provide a clear precedent for other cities, but an appeals court judge in August sent the case back to trial court instead.
Weeks after that decision, the Anaheim Convention Center hosted the Know Your Rights Expo, an event sponsored by the group NORML, which is fighting to legalize recreational pot use.
Last week, California voters rejected Prop. 19, which would have legalized and taxed the sale of marijuana for recreational use statewide.
Walker said he expects a larger crowd this weekend because of that decision. His company is making plans for up to 25,000 people to attend over the three-day Kush Expo ("Kush" is a term that has become known as slang for high-grade marijuana.)
"People are really hyped up about the issue," Walker said. "And we're putting on a classy, informative event that we think will really appeal to Orange County."
Tickets for the show are $15 per day or $35 for a three-day pass.
NewsHawk: MedicalNeed:420 MAGAZINE
Source
cregister.com
Author: ERIC CARPENTER
Contact: Contacting the Orange County Register and OCRegister.com | contacting, county, ocregister - Home - The Orange County Register
Copyright: 2010 Orange County Register Communications.
Website:O.C. pot expo to include smoking area | marijuana, expo, patients - News - The Orange County Register
The Kush Expo is set to run Friday through Sunday in the convention hall and is billed by its organizer, Monster Events International, as the "biggest medical-marijuana expo to hit Orange County."
The expo, open to people 18 and older, is expected to include dozens of booths featuring representatives from dispensaries and collectives, growing equipment, seed companies, hemp clothing and pot-related art. Live concerts featuring reggae and tribute acts to Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd also are planned.
But what most sets this expo apart, organizers said, is a "designated (marijuana) smoking area" outside the back of the convention hall. That fact is being touted in advertising and on the event website, kushexpo.com.
No pot will be sold on site, but legitimate medical patients who have their own marijuana will be allowed to smoke it in that area, said Rick Walker, a Laguna Niguel entrepreneur who is helping organize the expo.
Patients also may try out pipes, bongs or other marijuana paraphernalia for sale at the expo while inside the designated zone, he said.
"We went back and forth with (convention officials) and attorneys, but we argued that the people who need medical marijuana need it every few hours and they may not be able to attend otherwise," Walker said. "So we're thrilled they gave us a designated space."
Walker said the area will be secured and only patients with official cards will be allowed inside the smoking zone. He added he is unconcerned about patients being searched or harassed by law-enforcement since "what they are doing is perfectly legal according to the state," he said.
City officials are aware or the designated smoking area, which by code must be at least 25 feet from any door to the hall, said city spokeswoman Ruth Ruiz.
"There will be no smoking of any kind inside the venue, but they (legitimate patients with cards) will have the right to smoke outside as anybody with a cigarette typically would," Ruiz said. "Police will staff the event as they would any convention, but no additional staffing is expected."
Possession of marijuana is prohibited under federal law, but state law allows for use by qualified medical patients.
Anaheim bans all medical-marijuana dispensaries — the city's law is being challenged in court by patients who say it is unfair.
Legal experts had been looking to the case to provide a clear precedent for other cities, but an appeals court judge in August sent the case back to trial court instead.
Weeks after that decision, the Anaheim Convention Center hosted the Know Your Rights Expo, an event sponsored by the group NORML, which is fighting to legalize recreational pot use.
Last week, California voters rejected Prop. 19, which would have legalized and taxed the sale of marijuana for recreational use statewide.
Walker said he expects a larger crowd this weekend because of that decision. His company is making plans for up to 25,000 people to attend over the three-day Kush Expo ("Kush" is a term that has become known as slang for high-grade marijuana.)
"People are really hyped up about the issue," Walker said. "And we're putting on a classy, informative event that we think will really appeal to Orange County."
Tickets for the show are $15 per day or $35 for a three-day pass.
NewsHawk: MedicalNeed:420 MAGAZINE
Source
cregister.comAuthor: ERIC CARPENTER
Contact: Contacting the Orange County Register and OCRegister.com | contacting, county, ocregister - Home - The Orange County Register
Copyright: 2010 Orange County Register Communications.
Website:O.C. pot expo to include smoking area | marijuana, expo, patients - News - The Orange County Register
