TAKING THE HIGH ROAD: BOULDER MEDICAL-MARIJUANA CLINIC CELEBRATES OPENING

BOULDER, Colo. ­ Few medical-marijuana dispensaries advertise their
existence, and almost all of them require customers to make
appointments to legally obtain the herbal remedy.

But on Wednesday, Boulder's first walk-in dispensary ­ which sells
the drug to any medical-marijuana cardholder with or without an
appointment ­ publicly celebrated its grand opening. Situated on the
second story of the University Hill Plaza, between K's China and the
Hookah House at 1325 Broadway, Boulder Alternative Medicine is open
from 11 a.m. to 4:19 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Despite a robbery at a Boulder medical-marijuana dispensary last
week, owners of the new "open" marijuana distributor said they're not
afraid to advertise and invite anyone who can use marijuana legally
to browse their array of pot options.

"I've met so many people who've had a tough time finding quality
medicine," said Jay Epstein, co-owner of the alternative medicine
center. "They're buying something random from somebody random, and we
would like to provide a place for legal medical patients to come in
and get affordable meds."

Inside a glass case under a cash register in the small store
Wednesday sat jelly jars filled with marijuana varieties, labeled by
aroma and taste. Blueberry, Hong Kong, Skunk No. 1 and Sweet Tooth
are a few of the available house blends that cost $15 a gram.

Next to the weed-filled jars sat plates packed with individually
wrapped chocolate cakes and muffins baked with marijuana oils. The
dispensary sells different types of marijuana for smoking, baking,
elixirs and oils, Epstein said.

The dispensary began selling marijuana unofficially at the start of
June, and Epstein said it has served about 150 people so far. Now
that the business is in full swing ­ with a Web site and advertising
­ Epstein said he expects the clientele to grow more.

"It's crazy," he said. "Everyday we have eight to 10 new customers come in."

Epstein and his partner J.P. Stoermer said they jumped through the
hoops to open a public medical-marijuana dispensary because they
didn't want to let law-enforcement concerns and robbery threats keep
them from helping people.

Both Epstein and Stoermer are passionate about medical marijuana from
personal experience. Epstein broke his back snowboarding in 2003, and
Stoermer broke his back snowboarding in 2006, and both found their
best treatment in marijuana. Epstein said he used illegally until, "I
realized, 'Why should I live in fear and shame?'"

"This is my right to medicate," he said.

Epstein and Stoermer said they've met with law enforcement to make
sure they're operating according to the law and to make patrol
officers aware of their business. They've taken measures to keep
their staff and business safe, including installing security cameras,
an alarm system, a panic button and magnetic-lock doors. Epstein said
the business also is in an optimum locale.

"We're a block down from the police annex, and we're located on a
second story in a building where it would be difficult to escape out
of Boulder," he said. "If you get downstairs and in your car, you're
going to sit in a parking lot called Broadway."

Boulder County Drug Task Force Sgt. Barry Hartkopp said his team has
no qualms with the dispensary, "as long as it's operating within the
law." But, Hartkopp said, he does have concerns about potential robberies.

"Dispensaries like to operate with cash only, which makes them a
pretty good target for criminals," he said.

On June 16, four men are suspected of stealing two 20-gallon
containers of marijuana from the New Options Wellness Clinic, 2885 E.
Aurora Ave. They were charged Friday with a total of 27 felonies in
the robbery.

Since then, Hartkopp said, his office has received several calls from
people planning to open medical-marijuana dispensaries in Boulder County.

"They just want to make sure they're within the parameters of the law
and to find out about the security aspect of it," he said.

Backers of the medical-marijuana push ­ including caregivers,
cardholders and medical professionals who support marijuana treatment
­ visited Boulder Alternative Medicine on Wednesday during the shop's
grand opening.

Darren Flagg ­ who owns the Boulder-based Grassroots Medical Clinic,
which helps patients become legal cardholders ­ stopped by to support
his industry and applaud Epstein's and Stoermer's effort to make
medical-marijuana accessible.

"This allows patients safe access," Flagg said. "When it was all on
the black market, there was danger."