In less than an hour at least 12 patients – including some first-timers – came into the second-story suite on Raymond Way seeking relief for chronic pain, anxiety and muscle disorders.
"We're here for our patients," said Damon Harris, a Marine who served from 1998 to 2004 and who runs the collective. "We treat people recovering from cancer, people with MS, sleep problems, ADHD and war vets. We're not doing anything wrong – why should we leave?"
In September, Lake Forest sued 35 people in the city, including medical marijuana dispensary owners and retail landowners who rented space to them. Since then, 21 collectives have shut down; the Lake Forest Wellness Center and Collective continues to operate.
The collective is the last one to stay open, defying the city and the court order to close down.
"We are filing an appeal today with the court and appealing the Superior Court decision to close down," said Damian Nassiri, an attorney representing the Lake Forest Wellness Center and Collective. "We've heard the city is going to try and obtain a contempt of court order. In our opinion the city is not following procedure. The collective has never been served with any papers to close."
In the order made public Monday, Judge David Chaffee ruled that "all defendants and their officers, agents, employees, representatives and all persons acting in concert or participating with them are prohibited and restrained from engaging in committing, providing the location or performing by any means activity related to the distribution of marijuana."
On Tuesday the city of Lake Forest posted a note on its website calling for all dispensaries in the city to shut down by 5 p.m.
Thursday, city officials checked the store fronts. Only Lake Forest Wellness remained open at the end of the day.
On Friday, Jeffrey Dunn, who has led the city's effort against the dispensaries, said the city file papers to begin contempt proceedings against the dispensary.
"They'll have to show up in court and explain why they haven't closed," Dunn said Thursday afternoon. "It will be up to the judge to decide what to do."
Dunn said the dispensary could be fined or those involved could face possible jail time.
"This has been an important issue to the city," Dunn said. "They (dispensaries) create a whole host of problems for the city. They are not and never have been an allowable use."
Officials say the dispensaries have been operating in violation of the city's zoning code
Michael Deblese, 24, came from Los Angeles on Thursday to get his medical marijuana. A few years ago a broken jaw left him debilitated and unable to eat. Prescription drugs like Vicodin left him nauseous and numb.
"I wanted to use something that helped me that was natural," he said. "I've smoked it up until now. I want to start being more healthy and use it in oils and butter on my food."
Deblese is worried that closing the dispensaries will make medicinal marijuana illegal.
"We know people will continue to smoke marijuana," he said. "Closing them will create more danger and illegal business. When people can't get marijuana, they'll go to something stronger like heroine. Is that what we really want?"
Diane Johnson, 43, from Mission Viejo, also came to Lake Forest Wellness on Thursday. A hiking accident that resulted in a severe injury to her leg left her disabled and barely able to walk.
Diagnosed with reflex sympathetic dystrophy, Johnson is unable to sleep at night without the help of marijuana, which she uses in a vaporizer.
"It's been very comfortable coming here," Johnson said. "If the dispensary is shut down it will make it difficult. I'll have to travel to Los Angeles. It's very difficult for me to even drive here now."
Source: OC Register
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