Spokane Medical Marijuana Patients Have a Hard Time Finding Medicine

Medical marijuana patients say they're in a tough spot

02:01 PM PDT on Thursday, October 15, 2009

by KREM.com

SPOKANE-- Many medical marijuana patients in Spokane are having a
difficult time getting the drug because of dispensaries around town
shutting down.

Police raided a dispensary, the Change Shop, for allegedly selling
marijuana illegally last month. And, all other dispensaries were warned
to shut down as well.

We're told several have, but it's not clear exactly how many. The
prosecutor's office says since there is no regulation of these
establishments it's difficult to get a firm grasp on how many
dispensaries there actually are in the area. Still, prosecutors say
anyone operating a dispensary could face criminal charges if they
continue doing business.

In the meantime some customers are going without the drug, or are
resorting to the streets to get it. Others say they'll try to find other
ways to get what they say they need.

"99% of us got our medical marijuana license to prevent breaking the
law, we wear seat belts, don't speed," says Nathan Graham, a Medicinal
Marijuana Patient. "And we don't want to buy pot from some kid."

Graham wants the dispensaries back, but in the meantime says he is able
to get medicinal marijuana for free from a friend who grows it. That
friend is also a medical marijuana patient. Police say that is legal.

The prosecutor's office says the law allows patients to grow or possess
marijuana. But it was never intended for people to make a business out
of it. They say there is no mention of dispensaries being permitted in
the law, and even a proposed amendment to the law in 2007 to allow
collective growing was rejected.

Police say there is an FDA approved THC pill that can be prescribed by a
physician for these patients as an alternative to smoking marijuana.

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