R.I. HEALTH DEPARTMENT HOLDS HEARINGS ON MARIJUANA DISPENSARIES

PROVIDENCE -- The much-anticipated hearing on who may be approved to
open the first medical-marijuana dispensary in Rhode Island whizzed
by with mild opposition on Tuesday morning in the basement of the
Cannon Building of the state Health Department.

More than 125 people packed into the auditorium and another two dozen
waited outside, but there were no real fireworks. Only one speaker,
Edward "Ted" Maroney, livened up the crowd when he questioned the
"ridiculous prices" that the proponents of the Thomas C. Slater
Compassion Center in Providence have suggested for marijuana sales in
their dispensary.

Maroney waved a copy of Monday's Providence Journal in which the
newspaper reported that the marijuana would be sold to licensed
patients for $450 to $550 an ounce. He said the high prices would
send patients to the street and they "would contribute to the illegal
sale of drugs."

Maroney said that the Slater Center and several of the other proposed
dispensaries were catering to "the greedy, not the needy."

"There are three gold mines the state is giving away," he said.
"We're not talking chicken feed here. We are talking big dollars."

Another speaker, Sheree A. Carter-Paulino, a corrections officer at
the Adult Correctional Institutions maximum-security unit, questioned
the security at proposed cultivation centers for dispensaries, which
include plans to grow marijuana in greenhouses, or inside
warehouse-type buildings.

Carter-Paulino said she could provide the names of 10 prisoners
"right now," who could find a way to break into the cultivation
centers and wipe out their marijuana crops. She suggested that the
centers needed better perimeter security to ward off opportunistic criminals.

Other than Maroney and Carter-Paulino, nearly all of the 20 or so
speakers who chose to address the crowd had nothing but supportive
things to say about the centers proposed for a number of communities.
Each of the 15 applicants interested in opening a center was named in
alphabetical order and those who had signed in to speak were allowed
up to five minutes to state their position.

Following the public input, representatives from the nearby Eagle
Square Condominium Association and the Monohasset Mill Complex voiced
their opposition to the proposed Slater Center in Providence's Valley
section, saying that the city failed to notify them about the
proposed marijuana center. They also have concerns about parking and
its proximity to the SteelYard on Sims Avenue where there are
multiple arts programs and other activities for young people.

"None of us are for the compassion center in this neighborhood," said
Erik Bright, who lives in the Monohasset complex. "We were not
contacted. We were not notified."

The Health Department plans to select at least one, and up to three
compassion centers by Aug. 1. The department has said the decisions
will be based on how well the proposed compassion center operators
complied with a range of requirements on their applications.

Meanwhile, the state will continue to license medical-marijuana users
and caregivers who grow marijuana for patients. According to the
state, there are currently 1,790 registered patients and 1,412
licensed caregivers.

Once the compassion centers open, licensed patients can get their
marijuana from the dispensaries, as well as from their caregivers.

Most of the proposed centers had no one speak in support or
opposition Tuesday. The three that generated the most support were
the Slater Center, Summit Medical Compassion Center and Alternative
Therapeutics, both in Warwick.

Stephen Hogan, former executive director of the Rhode Island Patient
Advocacy Coalition, voiced his support for Summit Medical, saying the
proposed site is near a bus line and right off Interstate 95. He said
that he was impressed with the "local team" of professionals who
would run the facility. He called their proposal a "well-rounded and
comprehensive approach."

"I think that medical-marijuana patients will be very happy if they
are chosen," Hogan said.

Two of the supporters for the Slater Center were William Shalvey, a
patient who suffers from Huntington's disease, a degenerative disease
that affects the brain, and Ellen Lenox Smith, a patient and vocal
advocate of the medical-marijuana program.

Lenox Smith, who uses a wheelchair and suffers from Ehlers Danlos
syndrome, a connective-tissue disease, said that Gerald J. McGraw
Jr., president of the group that proposed the Slater dispensary, has
been her caregiver for several years and he has provided her with
marijuana at no cost.

"He will put the needs of his patients first," she said.

William Cotton suffers from multiple sclerosis and he likes the idea
of Alternative Therapeutics opening its center near his home on
Warwick Avenue in Warwick. He said that he lives on Social Security
income and spends about $640 on the four ounces of marijuana he
smokes each month. He said others also are on fixed incomes and they
need a site that is close to a public bus line.

Proposed Dispensaries

Alternative Therapeutics Inc., Christopher D. Sands, executive
director. The proposed site is 50 Colorado Ave., Warwick.

Breakwater Herbal Compassion Center, Henry A. Zaleski, managing
member. The proposed site is a "health wellness center," in Cranston/Warwick.

Community Care Health and Wellness Inc., Gregory Soscia, chief
executive officer. The proposed site is 3-5 Battey Ave., Coventry.

Greenleaf Compassionate Care Center Inc., Dr. Seth Bock, chief
executive officer. The proposed site is 200 High Point Ave., Unit
B-6, Portsmouth.

Growing Hope Industries, Scott Louis De Lotto, chief executive
officer. The proposed site is Warwick, no specific address.

Innovative Solutions for Non-Profits Inc., William Walter, president
and chief executive officer. The proposed site is 391 W. Fountain
St., Providence.

Marimed Caregivers Inc., Alfred L. Hamel, director. The proposed site
is 27 Broadway, Pawtucket.

Ocean State Organics, John Verdecchia, director. The proposed site is
603 Pawtucket Ave., Pawtucket.

Rhode Island Compassion Center, David P. DiSanto, director. The
proposed site is 47 Pettaconsett Ave., Cranston.

Rhode Island Institute for Medical Marijuana, Inc., Michael J.
Follick, principal officer. Proposed site is 1210 Pontiac Ave.,
Cranston, 2nd floor.

Rhode Island Medical Marijuana Dispensary, Dennis Gentili, president.
The proposed site is in northern Rhode Island, possibly Woonsocket.
No specific address.

Rhode Island Medical Caregivers, Adam J. Vanacore. The proposed site
would be Providence, possibly the West End. No specific address.

Summit Medical Compassion Center Inc., Frank P. Maggiacomo,
president. The proposed site is Kent Center, Suites 1001 and 1002,
2756 Post Rd., Warwick.

Thomas C. Slater Compassion Center, Gerald J. McGraw Jr., president.
The proposed site is 431 Harris Ave., Providence.

University Compassion Center, Dr. Todd E. Handel, director. The
proposed site may be at Handel's medical office at 1145 Main St., Pawtucket.