MEDICAL MARIJUANA CLINIC REOPENS

It has been more than two months since medical marijuana distribution
centers in the area closed following the Supreme Court decision that
federal agents could prosecute medical marijuana users, and a Ukiah
cooperative has decided to reopen its doors to the public.

United Medical Caregivers Clinic in Ukiah closed June 9, just three days
after the Supreme Court decision maintaining the federal government's
ability to prosecute medical marijuana patients, saying it was warned the
Drug Enforcement Agency is teaming with the Internal Revenue Service to go
after cannabis clubs.

Some 70 days after initially closing, UMCC was open for business Wednesday
to pre-existing medical marijuana consumers, a decision made after a new
CEO took control of both the Ukiah and Los Angeles cooperatives serving
some 18,000 patients.

Scott Feil, previous CEO of UMCC, said the Los Angeles branch has already
been reopened and the Ukiah office will start serving local patients again
despite the legal situation.

"It (the Supreme Court decision) really didn't do anything except take away
the last defense," Feil said. "It is frustrating to see how law has
changed. Congress made it illegal, and Congress has the power to make it
legal again. That is where the fight has to be made."

Feil said the new CEO, who he identified only as Steve, will continue to
serve all former medical marijuana patients, and new patients will only be
accepted if they are terminally ill.

"We are not taking any new members, but we are honoring old customers," he
said.

"If someone is at my door dying in the next six months, I am not going to
turn them away. That is why we are reopening, because people are dying or
extremely suffering without it and Oakland is the closest place anyone can
go for any sort of quality."

With some 6,000 local patients, Feil said medical marijuana users were
forced to buy cannabis from people on the street, creating a dangerous
situation where sellers could take advantage of patients and no one was
legally protected.

"The street dealing, from what I understand, has become competitive because
there are kids selling marijuana to people on the streets," Feil said. "If
you are arrested on drug charges now, you might as well go directly to
sentencing."

Feil, who no longer manages UMCC, has become politically involved in
supporting the rights of medical marijuana patients and cooperatives,
meeting with members of Congress and lobbying for support of medical
marijuana protective measures.

"I have to stand back from this and just yell louder I have a lot of
political backing now and I just want to take advantage of that," he said.

One of the efforts Feil hopes to implement locally is a drug abuse program
in schools, providing incentives to students who voluntarily take random
drug tests.

Feil is also supporting an application for a clinical trial on medical
marijuana, which he hopes will make it legal to distribute such Class 1
drugs with proper documents and a doctor's prescription.

Dane Wilkins, Northern California executive director for the National
Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, said "I think it is
important that they reopen but only under strict business practices to meet
the needs of the patients that are too disabled to grow their own or don't
have the ability to grow their own marijuana," Wilkins said. "It is a
benefit to the community to have a well-run dispensary in the city of Ukiah."

Since the Supreme Court decision, Wilkins said the medical marijuana
situation has not changed, but there are some legislative efforts currently
being considered to offer protection for users and distributors.

"There have been more marijuana plants pulled up by CAMP (the Campaign
Against Marijuana Planting) but no medical marijuana patients have been
targeted. For a typical medical marijuana patient, things are the same as
they were," Wilkins said. "On a federal level, there are some efforts being
made to reschedule marijuana from a Class 1 drug to a lower class drug,
which would change how it is being viewed by the federal government."

UMCC is currently open to all previous cardholders on Monday, Wednesday and
Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and all new and renewal patients must meet
new guidelines.