Source: Ukiah Daily Journal Author: Glenda Anderson Contact: P.O. Box 749, Ukiah, CA 95482 Fax: (707) 4685780 Pubdate: 15 Dec 1997 UKIAH CANNABIS CLUB THREATENED BY COURT RULING Ukiah Cannabis Buyers' Club owners are worried a new court ruling could shut down their medical marijuana business, leaving their customers without respite from pain. "It's not fair, I have over 300 clients now who are very sick," said one of the clubs owners, Cherrie Lovett, who started the club partly because she didn't want to keep driving to San Francisco to get marijuana treatments for lupus, a painful and crippling disease. She said the club is the only place people can go in the area to legally get and smoke marijuana and many people will do without it if she's shut down. "It upsets me, I give so much free stuff away (to people who can't afford it). Where are they going to get it when I'm gone?" Lovett said. The 1st District Court of Appeals ruling specifically applies to the San Francisco Cannabis Buyers Club run by Dennis Peron. It said Perons club dies not meet the criteria of a "primary care giver". That issue would apply to all cannabis clubs, and state Attorney General Dan Lungren has said he plans to use it accordingly. But that could take awhile. The ruling does not go into effect for 30 days, and Peron plans to appeal to the Supreme Court, which would then have 60 days to decide whether to take the case. Attorney Dave Nelson, who has represented the local Cannabis club in the past, noted the ruling would likely not be enforced as long as it's on appeal. "So far, it's not final. They don't have any precedent they can act on," he said. He further noted the ruling contradicts the apparent wishes of California voters, who approved the use of medical marijuana last year. Lovett and coowner Marvin Lerhman both said they think the court ruled against Peron be cause he was accused of running a sloppy shop. "They're after Dennis because they're accusing him of selling to minors, Lovett said. She said the Ukiah club doesn't let minors in unless they have both parental approval and authorization from a physician. The club also keeps close tabs on it's clients and recently began requiring photo IDs. "I want it to be a nice, loving, caring, non criminal environment. I'm not out to be a drug seller," Lovett said. She said the club not only provides relief for sick people, many of them dying of AIDS, it also gives them a place to go where they can feel they belong. To that end, the club is planning a Christmas party for clients who have nowhere to go for the holidays. The Sheriff's Office will be reviewing last week's court ruling this week to decide what action, if any, to take, according to spokesman Lt. Kevin Broin. He said taking action would depend on instructions from Lungren. Lovett said she's hoping for the best and won't shut down unless forced to. "We're going to be there until they walk in and say we can't be," she said.