Thursday, October 15, 2009 02:01 PM PDT
SPOKANE-- Many medical marijuana patients in Spokane are having a difficult time getting the drug because of dispensaries around town shutting down.
Police raided a dispensary, the Change Shop, for allegedly selling marijuana illegally last month. And, all other dispensaries were warned to shut down as well.
We're told several have, but it's not clear exactly how many. The prosecutor's office says since there is no regulation of these establishments it's difficult to get a firm grasp on how many dispensaries there actually are in the area. Still, prosecutors say anyone operating a dispensary could face criminal charges if they continue doing business.
In the meantime some customers are going without the drug, or are resorting to the streets to get it. Others say they'll try to find other ways to get what they say they need.
"99% of us got our medical marijuana license to prevent breaking the law, we wear seat belts, don't speed," says Nathan Graham, a Medicinal Marijuana Patient. "And we don't want to buy pot from some kid."
Graham wants the dispensaries back, but in the meantime says he is able to get medicinal marijuana for free from a friend who grows it. That friend is also a medical marijuana patient. Police say that is legal.
The prosecutor's office says the law allows patients to grow or possess marijuana. But it was never intended for people to make a business out of it. They say there is no mention of dispensaries being permitted in the law, and even a proposed amendment to the law in 2007 to allow collective growing was rejected.
Police say there is an FDA approved THC pill that can be prescribed by a physician for these patients as an alternative to smoking marijuana.