MARIJUANA DISPENSARY REOPENS AFTER DEA RAID

Nature's Wellness Collective in Orange Dispensing Medical Marijuana
Again After March Raid.

Less than two months after being raided by federal agents, Nature's
Wellness Collective is once again dispensing marijuana for medicinal purposes.

City officials say the dispensary, which reopened Wednesday, should
expect more raids in the future.

Bob Adams, owner of the dispensary on 830 E. Lincoln Ave., said Drug
Enforcement Agency agents toting AK-47 automatic rifles raided the
facility March 4. Adams, 44, said his marijuana was confiscated and
he was detained and taken to the DEA offices in Santa Ana, where he
was questioned for three hours and then released. No charges were
filed against him.

"I'm not a criminal. I'm not a bad guy and I'm not a drug dealer,"
Adams said. "If I was going to deal drugs, I'd do it a lot
differently than this."

Thursday evening, a city of Orange fire marshal made a surprise
inspection of the dispensary after an Orange police officer was
denied entry earlier in the day. Adams said four police officers were
with the fire marshal. No violations were found and nothing was confiscated.

Deputy Fire Marshal Ian MacDonald said the inspection was a part of a
routine annual inspection by the department and was looking into why
the police officers were present during the inspection.

Less than five minutes after the dispensary reopened, about a
half-dozen patrons came in to buy marijuana. Patrons had to provide
photo identification and a valid doctor's recommendation to be buzzed
through the front door and into an office.

Once an office manager called the doctor to verify the marijuana
prescription, patrons were buzzed into the dispensary, where eight
glass jars filled with pungent marijuana buds were in a glass display
case. Bongs, hookahs and pipes were in another case along a far wall
and a black throw rug with a green marijuana leaf was centered on the
floor, while Bob Marley reggae music played in the background.

The dispensary was only offering Afrwrek, a combination of Indica and
Sativa strains, and Da Purp, a strain of Indica.

"They took everything," Adams told a patron. "I'm just trying to
build up my supply."

Marijuana costs ran from $25 for 1 gram to $680 for 1 ounce. Edibles
- -- such hash-laced brownies, carrot cake and banana bread cost $15
per dose. No health plans help pay for medical marijuana.

Adams showed his business license application which was approved by
the city in January -- that stated his business would sell herbal
medicines and accessories.

"The lady at the counter asked me if I would have marijuana and I
said 'Yes,' " Adams said.

City Attorney David DeBerry said Adams is in violation of city
municipal code ordinance 17.02.010, which states that businesses must
be consistent with controlling federal, state and local laws.

"The courts have been real clear on the whole medical marijuana
issues," DeBerry said. "The federal government determines what drug
is a controlled substance and what is illegal."

Adams said he didn't understand why he wasn't informed of the
ordinance when he applied for the license.

"They made mistakes on their end in issuing me a license," Adams
said. "Everyone knew what I was doing."

After he was released by federal agents in March, Adams said police
officers told him they would be back if he re-opened.

"They told me, 'You can open up again, but we'll just come and take
all your stuff,'" Adams said. "My house is in foreclosure. Every dime
I had got put into this place."

Sgt. Dan Adams of the Orange Police Department said the department
could not comment because it was an ongoing investigation.

Adams said he had to remain open to pay his bills.

"I've got no choice," he said.

[sidebar]

OBTAINING MEDICAL MARIJUANA

Prop. 215 patients should begin by consulting with their own
physicians about medical use of cannabis. Patients who don't have a
medical record of treatment for serious illness may not be eligible
for marijuana under Prop. 215.

To qualify, patients must obtain a physician's "recommendation" or
"approval" (not a prescription) to use marijuana. No official
registration is required. Marijuana can be recommended for any
serious condition. More than 250 uses have been reported.

A list of doctors and dispensaries in Orange County can be found at
www.canorml.org

Source - California NORML