Portland Clinic Dispensing Marijuana To Sick, Dying

An outlaw clinic in downtown Portland is dispensing marijuana to sick and dying people, The Sunday Oregonian reported.

Since the clinic opened six weeks ago, patients have found it through word of mouth.

Patients who suffer from arthritis, multiple sclerosis, AIDS and other chronic diseases can buy an eighth of an ounce of marijuana for $20 to $50 depending on their income. That’s enough for four or five joints.

Marijuana cookies are sold in $2 packs. A brownie goes for $3.

The clinic opened after recent passage of propositions in California and Arizona allowing physicians to prescribe marijuana for medical purposes.

Oregon law makes no formal exception for marijuana grown, delivered, sold or used for medicinal purposes. Rep. George Eighmey, D-Portland, has introduced two bills in support of legalizing marijuana for medical use.

Local authorities acknowledge that in general, they put a higher priority on dealing with violent crime and flagrant drug dealing than with sick people discreetly smoking marijuana.

“Our main focus is in prosecuting drug dealers and marijuana growers. Our focus is not on people who are legitimately using it for medical purposes,” said Gary Meabe, senior deputy district attorney in charge of the drug and vice unit for Multnomah County.

“On the other hand, as the DA’s office, we’re not a policy-making body and those people are breaking the law, and when those cases come to our attention, we have to pay attention to them,” he said.

The clinic’s 124 patients are protecting the center’s secrecy. A reporter learned about the clinic from a patient, and was allowed to visit on the condition that the location wasn’t disclosed.