Pubdate: Fri, 30 Oct 2009 Source: Union, The (Grass Valley, CA) Copyright: 2009 The Union Contact: http://apps.theunion.com/utils/forms/lettertoeditor/ Website: http://www.theunion.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/957 Author: Dave Moller, Staff Writer COLFAX BANS PRESCRIPTION POT SHOPS Council Allows Existing Collective To Stay With the chances dwindling of a medical marijuana dispensary opening in western Nevada County, the Colfax City Council voted 4-0 Wednesday night to ban any more of them there. The council's vote grandfathered in the city's existing dispensary, Golden State Patient Care Collective, because it is an existing business that was legally approved five years ago and doesn't cause problems in town, city officials said Thursday. Meanwhile, Nevada City postponed its second reading of a pot shop ban late Wednesday, when City Manager Gene Albaugh pulled it off the City Council agenda for more work. The ordinance will come back for the final reading and vote Wednesday, Nov. 18, Albaugh said. The city manager did not want to predict the outcome of that vote, but it could be academic because the council already voted 3-2 for the ban during the first reading of the ordinance in September. The Colfax vote that left Golden State Patient Care intact pleased employee Bob Henry, son of owner and Nevada County resident Jim Henry. "It's good for people to be able to go somewhere safe to get their medicine," Henry said Thursday. "I'm very happy that Colfax is compassionate." The dispensary has never had any crime problems because it is run tightly, Henry said. "We don't let anybody in unless they have I.D. and a recommendation" from a doctor. "The police are right down the street, and we have them on speed dial," Henry said. "People can't use their medicine here or sell it. I'm glad we'll be able to stay here." Mayor Suzanne Roberts admits she opposes any use of marijuana and does not understand why the dispensary has to exist. "It needs to be dispensed through a pharmacy like any other drug," Roberts said. "It's not a good image for our community or something I want to promote. I'm anti-drug, and I don't think its' necessarily a benefit for anything." The Union could not locate other council members for comment. Golden State still operates because "it was an allowed use at the time it was established," said Colfax Planning Director Gary Price. "The treated it like a grocery store at the time." When another application for a dispensary surfaced in March, the criteria and outlook had changed, with new members coming to the city council since the 2004 decision, Price said. Available in Nevada County While no dispensaries are allowed in Nevada County, resident Charles Day has started a medical marijuana co-op called Harmony Holistic Health. The co-op fits California Attorney General Jerry Brown's idea of medical marijuana availability: A collective of growers and patients is established for distribution among members, and no storefront is used for the general public. Day could not be reached for comment; the co-op's Web site is HarmonyHolisticHealth.org. Nevada City placed a year-long moratorium on medical pot dispensaries until Aug. 11, 2010, the same day as Nevada County's moratorium expires. Grass Valley has a moratorium in effect until April 28, 2010, but is working on an ordinance. Three people have expressed interest in opening another medical marijuana dispensary in western Nevada County in recent months. Carole Chapman of Nevada County remains interested in opening a dispensary in Grass Valley and is awaiting word from the city about when its medical pot ordinance will be available for public scrutiny. The Union could not locate Harry Bennett or Jim Henry of the Colfax dispensary for comment, or to see whether they were still interested. The medical marijuana situation may become moot soon anyway, Chapman said. "Legalization (of marijuana) will be on the 2010 ballot" in California, Chapman. "It's going to pass." - --- MAP posted-by: Richard R Smith Jr