GREEN (MARIJUANA) THUMB FOR SALE

New Medical-Use Law May Open Consultant Path To Former Grower

Charles Alcon sees a growth industry in the state's new medical
marijuana program.

Drawing on his past experience of growing marijuana in his closet, he
figures he can be a consultant to Coloradans for whom it is now legal
to possess a small amount of marijuana.

"Everybody's trying to get on the bandwagon and trying to figure out
how they can sell medical marijuana," said Alcon, 39, of Aurora. "But
I'm going to show them how to grow it."

For a fee of $100, he will provide several consultations and a home visit.

"When you're alone with no resources and no one wants to talk to you,
you're left with the books and the magazines. That's where I would
fill in."

Under a new program authorized by Colorado voters last fall in a
constitutional amendment, people with illnesses that bring chronic
pain or nausea can possess up to two ounces of marijuana and up to
six plants, no more than three in flower at a time.

To be eligible, the person must obtain a doctor's signature on an
opinion that using marijuana might help ease the pain or increase the
appetite. While disputed by the mainstream medical community, many
patients say smoking marijuana helps mitigate their pain and nausea.

Some AIDS patients, for example, report that marijuana helps increase
their appetites, which suffer from side effects of AIDS treatments.

Under the new law, while it is legal to possess marijuana if approved
for the state registry, it is still illegal to buy it. It is against
federal law to possess even a small amount, though prosecutions are
rare.

Alcon grew his own marijuana with a two-chambered hydroponic system
with lights and a nutrient flow set on timers.

He said it took several years to get it down right, but the result
was better stuff than he could get on the street. He said he no
longer grows it, but he would give that knowledge to medical
marijuana users for his fee.

"I'll go over a few things I think are important," he said. "Special
lights, ebb-and-flow reservoir. I may help them choose what seeds to
use."

Ken Lane, spokesman for Colorado Attorney General Ken Salazar, said
people who help marijuana growers could be charged with aiding and
abetting a crime. But since a person on the state registry has an
affirmative defense against a marijuana possession charge, it's
unclear whether a "consultant" could be charged with a crime.