Pubdate: Fri, 01 Oct 2004
Source: Calaveras Enterprise (CA)
Copyright: 2004 Calaveras Enterprise
Contact:  http://www.calaverasenterprise.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/838
Author: Vanessa Turner
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal)

POT CLUB APPLICANT CITES NEED HERE

Kim Cue, 29, of San Andreas is surprised that word got out so fast about 
her business application to open a medical marijuana dispensary in San Andreas.

Cue runs Calaveras Compassion Collective, a medical marijuana delivery 
service with 60 to 70 clients in Calaveras County.

The Calaveras County Board of Supervisors Monday passed a 45-day ban on 
such facilities as a result of Cue's application.

The dispensary would be at Highway 49 and Mountain Ranch Road near the 
county Surveyor and 4-H office.

Alan Toupe, CEO of Sierra Foothills Compassionate Care, a dispensary in 
Ione, originally eyed the spot for his operation, Cue said. Toupe chose to 
open in Ione since he lived there.

Don Martin, owner of the San Andreas building, told Cue he would lease her 
the space.

Pot clubs are not listed as a permitted use in any county zone, County 
Counsel Jim Jones said. In order to process Cue's application, county staff 
members need some direction, he said.

Cue turned in her application last week.

"I didn't hear anything until the article came out," Cue said about a story 
on Monday's board meeting that ran in the Enterprise.

Cue moved here from Sacramento a year ago with her fiance and their 
11-year-old son, Michael, who attends Toyon Middle School.

Her delivery service is what sparked opening the dispensary.

There are more than 200 patients who need service, Cue said.

"The abundance of phone calls (seeking her service) that I'm getting - it's 
too much."

Cue gets the marijuana from Sierra Foothills Compassionate Care.

"I want to make sure the community understands this is not a pastime 
activity," Cue said. "These are nota bunch of kids running around smoking 
joints.

"These are sick, hurting, dying people."

Cue was diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder five years ago and is 
a medical marijuana patient.

"They just need one up here," she said. "I moved up here and it's just 
completely ridiculous that patients have to drive six hours (to Oakland) to 
get their medications."

"This is not something you just wake up in the morning and say, 'Oh, I'm 
going to do this,'" Cue said.

She retained attorney Robert Raich of Oakland, who specializes in medical 
marijuana, to put her "not-for-profit" business together.

"I've done my homework," Cue said. "Any monies that are left over we are 
donating them to different local charities.

"I just want to be there for my patients."

Cue has a bachelor's degree in process engineering specializing in chemical 
engineering, she said. She's also a Certified Public Accountant, went to 
nursing school and graduated from Heald College.

"I'm not sure what to do," she said about the county's reaction. "I don't 
want to be a pain to the county and have all these ordinances written up."

Cue said she wonders if the county would be happier if she proposed her 
business in Angels Camp since it has an ordinance.

Last month Angels Camp passed an ordinance to regulate where such 
facilities could be located and how much marijuana they could sell.

Cue said she would try to reach board Chairman Tom Tryon and will attend 
Monday's board meeting.

"I need to ask them - I need their guidance and visa versa," she said. "I 
would ask them, 'where would you like the facility to be.' I want to work 
with everybody in the county. Any request or guidelines, I'm more than 
willing to cooperate.

She said she opted for San Andreas because she lives there.

"Why sit here and drive 50 miles if you don't have to?"

The board said it would hold a study session and develop a zoning ordinance 
considering the compatibility of adjacent land uses and impacts to law 
enforcement resources. 
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake