Pubdate: Wed, 13 Jul 2005
Source: Oakland Tribune, The (CA)
Copyright: 2005 MediaNews Group, Inc. and ANG Newspapers
Contact:  http://www.oaklandtribune.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/314
Author: Karen Holzmeister, Staff Writer
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?115 (Cannabis - California)

SHERIFF WATCHING POT CLUB PATRONS

County Supervisors Set Fees for Dispensary Applications

OAKLAND -- As the train to regulate medical marijuana dispensaries in
unincorporated areas picks up speed, local law enforcement officials
are scrutinizing pot club clients as closely as transit police keep an
eye on BART riders.

Baby-faced pot-club patrons, beware: Alameda County Sheriff Charles
Plummer has his eyes on you.

The number of dispensaries will drop from six to three by fall, and
the sheriff's department will step up its inspections and oversight
under the terms of a county ordinance adopted in June.

On Tuesday, county supervisors set the fees for processing
applications for the three prized dispensary permits.

Permit renewal and annual monitoring charges have yet to be
established.

Applications, Plummer said, should be ready by July 27. Applicants
will be given about a month to fill them out. County administrators
will review the documents, check the applicants and select the permit
holders.

In the meantime, Plummer remains skeptical -- at best -- about the
medicinal benefits of marijuana and the legality of over-the-counter
sales.

Accompanied by aides, Plummer toured six dispensaries in Ashland,
Cherryland and San Lorenzo one afternoon last week. The sheriff,
himself over 70, said Tuesday he saw only a handful of people aged 50
and older lined up for various amounts and grades of marijuana.

The rest of the assembled cannabis buyers, he explained, were young
and predominantly male.

"I saw no one who looked sick," Plummer added.

Only one of the dispensaries accepted credit cards, Plummer noted,
saying he asked operators of the other marijuana sales outlets,
"Aren't your patients trustworthy?"

While the number of dispensaries will drop from six to three, Castro
Valley has been added as one of the communities where a sales outlet
could belocated. The field of applicants is not restricted to just the
current dispensary operators.

Four supervisors, with Supervisor Scott Haggerty of Livermore
dissenting, decided Tuesday to charge each dispensary applicant $3,800
for processing their initial form, plus $150 for each employee listed
on the form and $32-per-person state fingerprinting fee.

The supervisors postponed a decision on biennial permit renewal fees,
and an annual charge for administration and monitoring. The sheriff's
department had suggested a

$2,500 renewal fee and $1,200 annual charge.
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake