Jacob Bell
New Member
PORTLAND -- Medical Marijuana has been legal in Oregon for 13 years, but since dispensaries are not legal in the state patients say finding it can be difficult and intimidating.
A non-profit organization in Tualatin called Human Collective started a new way of growing and distributing legal medicinal marijuana.
"This is an ounce," said Lucas Littlefield who holds up a bag of large marijuana buds. Like a pharmacy, patients order at a counter while Littlefield prepares the correct strain and dose of medical marijuana for the condition being treated.
He says some strains help people sleep, others ease pain and others increase appetite.
The Human Collective works much like a dispensary. However, those are illegal in Oregon.
Executive director Sarah Bennett said the human collective is a group of 350 member-patients helping each other within the complicated boundaries of Oregon law.
A $365 annual fee pays for all the co-op's expenses and everyone is a volunteer.
"Patients and caregivers can reimburse the grower for the cost of supplies and utilities so there is no profit. We are 'community helping community,'" said Bennett, who is a licensed grower but does not use marijuana herself.
The group educates members on growing techniques and the latest medical research in a confidential setting that does not allow patients to use marijuana on site.
Donald Morse volunteers at Human Collective. He believes strongly in medicinal marijuana, but has never used it himself. He said it's helped his wife deal with a painful chronic disease and freed her from the grip of pain killers and anti-depressants.
"We are all willingly and knowingly violating federal law, even though we are state compliant, so it puts us in a very precarious situation," said Morse.
In Washington state, federal agents recently raided several marijuana dispensaries in Spokane.
Friday, Governor Chris Gregoire vetoed key parts of a bill that would have regulated marijuana dispensaries.
"I will not subject my state employees to federal prosecution," said Gregoire.
Sarah Bennett is working with Oregon health officials on a bill that would make dispensaries legal in Oregon.
She hopes to have it on the ballot next year. It would allow people in the medical marijuana industry to be paid for their work, something opponents don't want to see.
For now, Human Collective is the closest thing to a marijuana dispensary in Oregon where there are now 40,000 people with medical marijuana cards.
News Hawk- Jacob Ebel 420 MAGAZINE
Source: nwcn.com
Author: Wayne Havrelly
Contact: Contact Us
Copyright: Northwest Cable News, Inc
Website: Tualatin marijuana apothecary expands
A non-profit organization in Tualatin called Human Collective started a new way of growing and distributing legal medicinal marijuana.
"This is an ounce," said Lucas Littlefield who holds up a bag of large marijuana buds. Like a pharmacy, patients order at a counter while Littlefield prepares the correct strain and dose of medical marijuana for the condition being treated.
He says some strains help people sleep, others ease pain and others increase appetite.
The Human Collective works much like a dispensary. However, those are illegal in Oregon.
Executive director Sarah Bennett said the human collective is a group of 350 member-patients helping each other within the complicated boundaries of Oregon law.
A $365 annual fee pays for all the co-op's expenses and everyone is a volunteer.
"Patients and caregivers can reimburse the grower for the cost of supplies and utilities so there is no profit. We are 'community helping community,'" said Bennett, who is a licensed grower but does not use marijuana herself.
The group educates members on growing techniques and the latest medical research in a confidential setting that does not allow patients to use marijuana on site.
Donald Morse volunteers at Human Collective. He believes strongly in medicinal marijuana, but has never used it himself. He said it's helped his wife deal with a painful chronic disease and freed her from the grip of pain killers and anti-depressants.
"We are all willingly and knowingly violating federal law, even though we are state compliant, so it puts us in a very precarious situation," said Morse.
In Washington state, federal agents recently raided several marijuana dispensaries in Spokane.
Friday, Governor Chris Gregoire vetoed key parts of a bill that would have regulated marijuana dispensaries.
"I will not subject my state employees to federal prosecution," said Gregoire.
Sarah Bennett is working with Oregon health officials on a bill that would make dispensaries legal in Oregon.
She hopes to have it on the ballot next year. It would allow people in the medical marijuana industry to be paid for their work, something opponents don't want to see.
For now, Human Collective is the closest thing to a marijuana dispensary in Oregon where there are now 40,000 people with medical marijuana cards.
News Hawk- Jacob Ebel 420 MAGAZINE
Source: nwcn.com
Author: Wayne Havrelly
Contact: Contact Us
Copyright: Northwest Cable News, Inc
Website: Tualatin marijuana apothecary expands
