POT CENTER TECHNICALLY OUTSIDE FEDERAL LAW

People Have Donated Money to Keep the Ashland Operation Running in the
Black

ASHLAND - More than 150 medical marijuana cardholders are now getting
their pot at a resource center that opened last month in town.

The Greenery, 1746 Ashland St., offers several types of marijuana to
cardholders on a donation basis. While many people give nothing or $1,
others have given up to $200 to the nonprofit, allowing it to stay in
the black so far, said co-founder Andrea Adams.

"Our job is to help people connect with medicine," she said. "Before
this, if you couldn't grow your own, you had to try to do exchanges
using the Internet and you didn't always know if it was safe or legal."

The nonprofit has consulted with lawyers and believes it is operating
legally under Oregon's 1998 Medical Marijuana Act, Adams said. Similar
centers operate in Portland and elsewhere in the state, she said.

However, the nonprofit and medical marijuana centers in every state
are technically in violation of federal law, which views marijuana as
an illegal drug, not a medicine.

"Within the state Medical Marijuana Act, we are legal, but federally
it is illegal," Adams said.

Ashland police have met with The Greenery founders and don't believe
the nonprofit has violated any state laws at this time, said Deputy
Chief Corey Falls.

"Based on our conversation, it sounded like there weren't any laws
that I could see that they were going to violate," he said Friday. "We
have nothing to investigate them for right now."

The Greenery receives its pot via donations from cardholding growers,
so the entire operation involves an exchange of marijuana between
cardholders, which is legal, Adams said.

"We use this as a meeting place to do medicine exchange," she
said.

Under state law, cardholders can either grow their own pot, have
someone grow it for them or receive it through a member-to-member
exchange, as long as it is not being sold, Adams said.

So far the nonprofit hasn't had a problem keeping enough marijuana in
stock, despite the fact that it doesn't reimburse growers for their
donations, she said.

The nonprofit doesn't call itself a dispensary, because it's not a
business and it doesn't sell marijuana, Adams said. Dispensaries are
illegal in Oregon.

The four founders of The Greenery, Adams, Jeffrey Carey, Chelsea
Hopkins and Joseph Hopkins, said they volunteer their time at the
nonprofit and don't receive compensation.

"This is a labor of love," Adams said. "We're very passionate about
allowing people safe access to their medicine."

They staff the resource center from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays through
Saturdays. In order to receive marijuana, people must go through a
screening process to ensure they are medical marijuana cardholders and
will abide by the nonprofit's rules. Once people pass the screening
process, they automatically become members of The Greenery, a process
that is free.

The Greenery, which operates in the Adhara Wellness Center building,
does not allow members to use marijuana on its premises, in their
vehicles or in the neighborhood. Per state law, cardholders can only
use marijuana in a private place where they won't disturb others.

The nonprofit also doesn't allow members to resell or redistribute the
pot they receive. At each visit, members must present a valid
identification card and Oregon medical marijuana card before receiving
pot.

Members range in age from their early 20s to early 80s and hold cards
for a variety of reasons, including because they suffer from chronic
pain, glaucoma and cancer, Adams said.

As of April 2011, there were 5,136 medical marijuana cardholders in
Jackson County, more than in any other county in Oregon except
Multnomah, according to the Oregon Health Authority.

In addition to marijuana buds, The Greenery offers marijuana-infused
bath salts and massage oils, as well as hash and tinctures made from
pot. It updates its Facebook page and website, www.ashlandgreenery.org,
with its latest offerings.

The group inspects all of its marijuana for mold or other contaminants
and is working toward having it tested to determine its potency and
safety, Adams said.

The resource center also holds free or low-charge classes on aspects
of medical marijuana. In June the nonprofit will have classes on
growing basics, medication preparation, butter making and organic mite
and mildew control.

The Greenery also provides legal updates and information to members
about the state medical marijuana program.

For its first few months, the nonprofit is focusing on paying its
bills and setting up a legal fund in case it faces challenges, Adams
said. If The Greenery has extra money left over, it plans to donate to
other local nonprofits and to set up a fund to help low-income people
obtain medical marijuana cards.

"We're going to do this as long as we can and as long as we're helping
members," Adams said.