Medical-marijuana growers meeting in West Seattle to save their industry

| Triangle | West Seattle news

As the state’s newly legalized recreational-marijuana industry gets closer to launch, the medical-marijuana industry says it’s fighting for its life – and a new group of growers is organizing, with its first meeting scheduled for West Seattle this week. The group is calling itself the Association of Cannabis Breeders and Growers, and organizer Chris Kelly of Green Lion Farms says they are inviting anyone and everyone interested in saving the medical-marijuana industry to come to its kickoff meeting at 8 pm Wednesday (November 6th) at the VFW Hall in The Triangle (3601 SW Alaska). (There’s a Facebook event page for the meeting here.)

TLS November 4, 2013 (10:27 pm)

GO AWAY!!

For Liberty November 4, 2013 (11:56 pm)

You know who needs to go away? The secret WSLCB work group meeting in private that says they aren’t obliged to public disclosure and came up with proposed rules that would completely gut our existing medical marijuana law and ignore the will of the voters. They want to make it illegal for patients to grow marijuana, illegal to possess more than 3 oz. (some patients need more to condense into tincture/oil form that recreational stores won’t sell e.g. for pediatric neurological conditions, or aren’t able to make regular trips due to mobility impairment), outlaw collective gardens, and mandate a state patient registry (massive violation of right to privacy) = basically force patients to use rec stores instead –> more tax $$$ for state coffers, govt. favoritism for rec growers w/deep pockets, maintain stream of prisoners to supply the prison industrial complex, of which most of our elected officials have a vested interest in via govt. retirement funds with shares in for-profit prison corporations. And, of course, by saying that voters and individuals don’t have a choice and instead govt. needs to be in control of all of our health care options, it protects future big pharma profits on patents for marijuana active ingredients (check out the FDA approved clinical trials for Epidiolex. Check out the Dept. of Health and Human Services owned patent #6630507). Kudos to Chris Kelly and our local small business owners who are increasing access to safe, effective medicine for patients.

Eric1 November 5, 2013 (12:27 am)

LOL
.
I agree to a certain point that medical MJ is a good thing. But I’d guess that 90% of their prior business was to BS cardholders. This shows that they can’t compete with just what would be legal MJ so they want an edge. These guys reaped the “legal” profits until now so they can either continue to depend on their legal clients or fold up shop and as they say “take their money and run.”

chris w November 5, 2013 (7:47 am)

I’ll be out of town or I’d join you. Next time…

Brian November 5, 2013 (9:13 am)

@Eric1: Isn’t the obvious solution to crack down on the doctors writing the fallacious prescriptions then?

Think about why it’s in the state’s interest to target and persecute legal medical patients rather than enforce the actual MMJ laws the state passed years ago.

The answer is money. And lots of it.

Wes C. Addle November 5, 2013 (9:26 am)

It’s a shame what they’re doing to the MMJ patients. The state is going to be in for a big surprise when they look at their tax revenues. The only way this will ever succeed for the state is if they dramatically cut the cost.
.
They need to follow the Colorado model.

Nick November 5, 2013 (9:30 am)

I’ll be there.

sgs November 5, 2013 (9:50 am)

I support the WSLCB in trying to come up with a framework within which to operate this industry. I was just reading the other story about the increased crime after alcohol was allowed in retail outlets (the Puerto Vallarta restaurant story), and it won’t be surprising to see a lot more crime stories related to this as well. Medical marijuana YES ABSOLUTELY; recreational, the voters have spoken, but I support both within a framework of regulations that go along with the law. When the voters approved marijuana use, it doesn’t mean there would be no regulations at all.

chris November 5, 2013 (10:14 am)

@ liberty move to Uruguay … What Liberty forgot to mention is the state (Seattle) is urging more licenses for retail and tax free exemptions for legimate med patients. “more tax $$$ for state coffers ” is good thing by the way for the state and the services it provides. The Retail yes will serve the rec users which close the oversaturation of mmj stores that are around and leave mmj stores that will serve the patients with care and conscious strains.

Sea November 5, 2013 (11:35 am)

Right, because the government is so resoundingly successful at everything else it tries to do..

Wes C. Addle November 5, 2013 (12:37 pm)

@Chris
.
The way the law is proposed, there is no more Medical Cannabis. Patients will go to a liquor store type environment and the workers are not allowed to interpret what is best for your medical condition. I don’t believe there is an over-saturation of the market either. The dispensaries are always busy. The legal patients will just not have to pay the tax, that’s it.

homedough November 5, 2013 (1:28 pm)

I voted NO on I-502, simply because of this huge can of worms being dumped on our laps. Wait until the State Patrol goes nuts arresting non impaired recreational users who took a couple of hits a couple of days ago. I’am 49, been a grower since I was 15, I’ve never been in a Medical Marijuana shop, probably never will. I sure as hell will never buy from a state regulated store or ever pay a tax on my smoke OR my tomatoes.

Chris Kelly November 5, 2013 (1:48 pm)

Great comments from everyone.

The purpose of ACBG is to have level headed discussions that lead to defending/establishing our rights from the platform of science, economics, and constitutional rights. We will be working with many other organizations to create a UNIFIED voice for cannabis breeders and growers.

I hope to see everyone there. If you have any questions for me I am happy to answer.

Chris Kelly
acbgwa@gmail.com

** Side note:

Just to be clear to the guy talking about money and greed: I glue my shoes together, have no idea where my rent money is coming from, and donate CBD cannabis to super sick kids. If you are employed at all, you have more money than I do. Just because someone is involved in the cannabis industry, doesn’t make them Roy Olmstead.

Justin Hale November 5, 2013 (2:45 pm)

@Eric1
What the hell are you talking about???
90% fraud in the MedMJ program,and You know this how ?? You don’t,admit it your pulling numbers outa yourass.
Can’t ,compete with legal shops ? Who has been providing a service to the cannabis consumers since 1998 ?,the dispensaries,who is trying to close them down because they don’t want the competition? the state WSLCB. Get real.

Justin Hale November 5, 2013 (2:59 pm)

@Chris Kelly
I appreciate your work to protect MedMJ ,I cannot make it to your meeting, know that I am with you in Spirit. Good luck.

chris November 5, 2013 (6:41 pm)

@ Wes “The way the law is proposed” exactly what it means.. This a test state so there will be modifications to the law going forward. @ Eric yes there is greed business that is how business works. But when it comes to the mmj business its not a business right now where people make much $$$. They can’t take business loans until now and have limited area which to do business. But its changing yes there will be change probably a lot less medical shops but (on the greed side) there will be a lot more customers (including tourists) which means more demand whichs means more licenses down the road and more jobs.

james b November 6, 2013 (4:05 pm)

First of all the voters and patients where lied to bye the state. The way the laws where written for I-502 it is impossible to work. Even the states own consulant from Biotech says that by the time all taxes are paid retail stores will owe more in taxes than what they take in! When I-502 crashes patients will be left without there medication and some could possibly die. here is a good write up with all the problems with I-502 must read for those of you thinking of going into I-502. http://www.dispensaryexchange.com/read/17/73/I-502-From-a-Collective-Owners-Perspective

Brian November 7, 2013 (7:17 am)

I whole heartily support both the medical and recreational use of marijuana.

As a homeowner in west seattle, its my personal oppinion that there are just too many marijuana shops now.

I like the states new rules regarding the sale of recreational pot. The limits on the number of stores and the tax revenue is something that sounds reasonable to me.

I hope there can be some compromise between the medical marijuana community and the recreational community. We are at the very begining of this process and there is bound to be some bumps in the road. Limiting/reducing the number of medical shops and shifting some patients to the state licensed stores is reasonable imho.

Justin Hale November 7, 2013 (9:40 am)

@Brian
@Brian
I also support full legalization of cannabis,recreational and medical. I don’t know about there being Too many dispensaries though, if they are open and making money they must be servicing someone,and who gets to decide which businesses have to close? There is a well established supply system for cannabis,whether it be the black market,the dispensaries or homegrowing,these All will present competition to the State stores. Do you think that people who today can buy good cannabis for say $10-15 per gram are going to switch to higher priced state product IF they actually ever open? If the state expects to corner the cannabis market in this state they have two choices,either undercut the dispensaries price or they can try to eliminate any competition by prohibition laws and that hasn’t worked for 70 years. Cannabis is easy to grow,there is no reason except for blind greed why cannabis should cost more than organic tomatoes.

Sorry, comment time is over.