[420 Girl]

Salida joined a growing number of Colorado cities that have legal marijuana dispensaries when Medical 420 opened to the public Thursday in suite F at 7595 U.S. 50

Hank Brassea is the sole owner of Medical 420 and likened opening the dispensary to starting any other new business.

He said he needed to register for a sales tax license and find a location for the dispensary.

Dispensaries must adhere to zoning regulations established Dec. 2 by Salida City Council.

In Salida, the permit zone extends along U.S. 50 and Colo. 291, but doesn't include the downtown historic district. Dispensaries must be at least 500-feet from a school.

At Medical 420 patients wanting to buy marijuana must provide a physician's statement prescribing marijuana or a medical marijuana card issued by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.

The patient must submit a current Colorado driver's license to be copied for records and sign a waiver notifying them of their rights. After submitting the forms, the patient can view samples and make a purchase.

Patients may designate one caregiver to be registered through the state health department who can purchase from a dispensary.

Brassea said marijuana is sold in gram denominations for about $15 each. Colorado law, he said, allows an individual the right to carry as much as two ounces.

He said 420 Medical doesn't do any on-site growing. All marijuana sold from the dispensary is bought from licensed caregivers in the Denver area.

By August 2009, Chaffee County had 57 registered cardholders accounting for less than 1 percent of the 16,505 new patient applications received by the health department.

As a cancer survivor, Brassea said marijuana was a helpful alternative to opiate painkillers when he used it to help with illness associated with chemotherapy.

Now a cardholder, Brassea said it was a painless process that called for a doctor's recommendation. He said it wouldn't be difficult for anyone with a pre-existing condition to obtain.

"A lot of doctors will sign off, but it's really up to the individual. A lot of them would just as soon prescribe OxyContin (or other painkillers,)" Brassea said.

Some dispensaries will have doctors available for consultations by appointment. Brassea said Medical 420 may bring in a physician, but for now it's providing marijuana only to prior cardholders.

Medical 420 is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday.


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