MEDICAL MARIJUANA IN BREMERTON, 'THE RIGHT WAY'

Non-Profit Medical Marijuana Dispensary Hopes To Open Shop On Callow
Avenue By March

When Archie Lee and a handful of family members decided to start a
medical marijuana dispensary in Bremerton, they knew it wouldn't be easy.

Herbal Healing, which Lee co-owns with four others, is currently
operating a delivery service serving medical marijuana patients, but
it is in the process of finding a building for the organization. The
store will likely be on Callow Avenue, but it's a difficult venture.
Given the conflicting state and federal laws on the possession of
medical marijuana, there are no laws that dictate how a dispensary in
Bremerton should operate.

"We're kind of in limbo right now," said Lee, adding that Herbal
Healing has a state business license and is pursuing a Bremerton
license. "We want to do it the right way."

Herbal Healing, a non-profit, hopes to open its store in the
beginning of March. As the first medical marijuana dispensary in the
city of Bremerton, the city's legal department is unsure of how it
will be regulated or how legal it is.

Both federal and state law indicate that possession of marijuana is
illegal. However, Washington's Medical Marijuana Act of 1997 protects
people using marijuana with a prescription and those who provide it
to them, but they can still face federal penalties.

There are also no legal protections for buyers and sellers of marijuana.

"It's really unclear what we have here," Assistant City Attorney Mark
Koontz said.

But Herbal Healing is moving forward with its shop. Its non-profit
model offers a donor system in which medical marijuana patients
donate marijuana to Herbal Healing and patients in need of it pay
what they can, thereby avoiding the laws against buying and selling
it. However, it still seeks more guidance on how to operate legally.

"We want some definition on dispensaries," Lee said.

Lee himself is a medical marijuana patient who uses it to treat
migraines. Originally from Tacoma, he has lived in Bremerton for 10
years. He used to coach girls fastpitch for six years and work as a
contractor. Until now, Lee traveled to King and Pierce counties to
find medical marijuana. His main concern is ensuring people who need
the marijuana in Kitsap obtain it the right way.

"We want to make sure that people can get it in a safe manner," he said.

Herbal Healing joins at least two other medical marijuana
dispensaries in Kitsap County, including Kitsap MMJ and Cloud Nine Cares.

Jeff Raub has operated Cloud Nine Cares in Kitsap County as a mobile
medical marijuana delivery service since last March and typically
serves between 90 and 100 patients at any given time. He doesn't have
a store front because he doesn't want to risk prosecution. His
clients live throughout Western Washington, from Chehalis to Port
Angeles, but he says much of the need is in Kitsap County.

"The Kitsap County residents still need a safe, decently priced
alternative to Tacoma or Belfair," Raub said, noting that most Kitsap
medical marijuana patients leave the county to find affordable
medication, consequently sending tax dollars to other counties. "I'm
hoping the dispensary in Bremerton will not only bring much-needed
revenue to Kitsap County, but a dispensary with a reputation for quality."

Obtaining medical marijuana is also a challenge because many of those
who need it are low-income, unable to work full-time jobs due to
injury or illness. Raub himself ran a construction business until he
sustained a debilitating back injury 15 years ago and his condition
deteriorated until he had to stop working full time a few years ago.
His hardship in finding an affordable medical marijuana dispensary
inspired him to establish Cloud Nine Cares.

"I couldn't afford my own medication, so I figured other people were
in the same situation," Raub said.

This week, Raub submitted a report to the City of Bremerton including
information on how dispensaries in the area operate and how they help
generate city and county revenue. His proposal included a
profit-sharing arrangement that would provide income to the city in
addition to the taxes generated.

"I'm trying to help the city, not fight them," he said.

Koontz and City Attorney Roger Lubovich said they have not yet
investigated how a dispensary might operate in Bremerton.

The medical marijuana dispensary is only a portion of Herbal
Healing's services. It plans to host food drives and coat drives for
local charities and offer financial assistance to people who need
help paying bills.

"It's just our way of giving back to the community," co-owner Linda
Gray said, adding that she hopes to adopt needy families during the
holiday season.

It's Herbal Healing's larger vision of serving the underprivileged
that sets it apart from other groups who mainly serve as
dispensaries, Lee said.

"We just feel like we need this," he said. "We're people helping people."

Meanwhile, Bremerton's legal team is bracing itself to see how the
non-profit moves forward.

"What's going to happen down here, we don't know," City Attorney
Roger Lubovich said. "It's going to be pretty interesting."

Herbal Healing will host an informational seminar on how to obtain
and possess medical marijuana in Washington.

Doctors and other speakers will give presentations.

When: 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 24

Where: The Charleston, 333 N. Callow Ave., Bremerton

Free admission, canned food donations will be accepted.