Entrepreneurs Learn of County Regulation

Tired of leaving the coast to get their medical marijuana, a couple of Coastsiders decided to take matters into their own hands about six months ago. Their brainchild was Herbal Empathy, a delivery-only medical cannabis collective they hoped would bring a new legitimacy to medical marijuana on the coast.

Drew and Eric, who asked that their last names not be used to assure patient privacy, were in the process of getting their collective up and running when they hit the brakes early this week upon learning they needed a green light from San Mateo County in order to operate legally. Herbal Empathy's owners spent roughly six weeks filing paperwork to secure California nonprofit mutual benefit corporation status and to get a business license. However, they failed to apply for a license through San Mateo County, as is required according to the county's 2009 medical marijuana ordinance.

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