MARIJUANA OPERATIONS REEMERGING

Medical marijuana operations are starting to resume in Kern County
after recent changes made to the rules governing them.

Doug McAfee of the Bakersfield chapter of NORML, a pro-legalization
group, said he knows of at least three to five groups planning to
restart their operations as collectives and cooperatives.

There's a lot that are going to be opening up," McAfee said. "Some are
probably operating now."

Sheriff Donny Youngblood is aware of new operations emerging and said
authorities will be keeping a close eye to make sure they comply with
the rules.

All I can tell you is they are on our radar," he said. "We're well
aware of what's going on with them."

Under new state attorney general guidelines, only nonprofit marijuana
collectives or cooperatives -- not for-profit dispensaries -- are
allowed to operate under state law.

The groups can't buy or sell the marijuana and members are encouraged
to obtain a state ID card and have a doctor's written recommendation
in case of potential interactions with law enforcement.

Cooperatives are required to file articles of incorporation with the
state, and only patients or their authorized caregivers are allowed to
be members of the collective or cooperative.

Bolstering the confidence of those opening the operations was a recent
declaration by U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder that marijuana
operations complying with state laws won't be prosecuted under federal
law.

Many local dispensaries were raided or closed voluntarily in recent
years due to a Bush administration's philosophy that the dispensaries
- -- even if legal under state law -- still violated federal law.

Youngblood acknowledged that nonprofit marijuana entities are allowed
under new guidelines but questioned whether all of them would operate
within the rules.

Certainly that will be the guise they will reopen under," he
said.

The sheriff's stance doesn't surprise McAfee but nor does it concern
him.

I don't think there's anything he can do if these collectives are
operating within the guidelines," he said.

McAfee added that he warns people to expect the Sheriff's Department
"might try to infiltrate a cooperative or send people in who pretend
they're patients."

Jeff Clark, a Bodfish resident and military veteran, said he's in the
process of getting his cooperative started. He uses marijuana to help
with painful cluster headaches he's had from twice breaking his neck.
He has a written doctor's recommendation and a state ID card, he said.

I think if everybody follows the rules," he said, "everything will
work smoothly."