[Cali smoke]

City officials 'ready for any outcome' with dispensary
Dec 31, 2009
By Kollin Kosmicki


Hollister, CA - Purple Cross Rx representatives attended the council meeting last week where officials decided against changing city law to allow a dispensary, but they did not speak about the proposal.


Hollister Mayor Victor Gomez said city officials must be prepared for the possibility of Purple Cross Rx, whose proposal for a medical marijuana dispensary here has been turned away by officials, still opening and serving area customers.

Council members at their meeting last week voted against changing the zoning code - which prohibits functions that violate state or federal law - to allow for such operations. Gomez, however, expressed concern to the Free Lance because Purple Cross Rx has received a seller's permit with the state board of equalization, effective Friday.

Council members sided with the notion to disallow such pot dispensaries because they violate federal law, while the state has permitted the operations since California voters approved of medical marijuana legalization in 1996.

Gomez said the group hasn't opened lines of communication and noted how the only contact from the organization during the process, other than receiving a report detailing its intentions, has been one e-mail "pretty much stating they're taking new customers."

"That kind of had me head scratching," Gomez said. "I thought, 'Oh great, they're just going to open up their doors.'"

That's precisely what a group called Medileaf did in Gilroy after its city council in November rejected a similar proposal. The dispensary opened without the city's OK, and now the two sides are fighting over the matter in court.

Hollister officials also have noted that Purple Cross Rx appears prepared to deliver medical marijuana in San Benito County. Its Web site, www.purplecrossrx.org, promotes the delivery service and lists off prices as well. The drivers are volunteers, it says, and the hours of operations are 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Purple Cross Rx representatives could not be reached immediately before publication.

"Our concern right now is just being prepared and ready for any outcome," Gomez said.

Councilman Doug Emerson has other concerns as well, such as the lack of clarity with Purple Cross' nonprofit designation. Regarding the notion of Purple Cross opening shop or delivering in San Benito County without authorization locally, Emerson said involving the police department or district attorney would be a "strong possibility."

"Personally, I think there's a need for medical marijuana in certain circumstances," Emerson said. "I'm scared about the lack of regulations and enforcement I've read about."

[Cali smoke]

Update - they opened up. I went, got a gram of purple urkle and free gram of GDP. The GDP was a bit leafy but overall both was of superb quality. The location and inside is nice and clean, it's on a 3rd floor but I do think it has an elevator. Last bit of info, they charge about $5.00 tax on top of your meds. $20 + tax for gram, $55 + tax for 1/8ths.

From what I remember they had:
Blue Cheese (Dirt grown)
GDP (Hydro)
Purple Urkle (Hydro)

Mostly all purple strains but these three stood out from the rest.