I have no idea of the current status of Mr. David Rosenthal’s application to the county to open a pot dispensary in Nipomo. I have requested clarification from county planning, but have heard nothing as of yet. Based on Mr. Rosenthal’s presentation at the SCAC meeting on Monday 11/28/11, it is clear he intends to move forward as though his application is intact.
While the process moves forward, I think it is important to anticipate exactly what Mr. Rosenthal’s dispensary might look like. Fortunately we have some idea based on Mr. Rosenthal’s current activities as an owner and/or operator of the TerraFarma 420 medical cannabis collective. Based on his own website, Mr. Rosenthal already operates a county wide clinic via personal delivery service, providing marijuana to individuals all over San Luis Obispo County. I’m not exactly certain why he needs a brick and mortar building in the Nipomo community given the current status of his TerraFarma 420 “collective.”
The first thing that struck me about Mr. Rosenthal’s current collective is it’s name. Some names I’ve seen on the Internet based on quick Google searches turn up some of the following: Herbal Choice Care Givers; The Kind Alternative; Covington Holistic Medicine; MedCan Delivery; Greenlink Collective–to name just a few. Instead of marketing his collective with a name related to medical or medicinal images, Mr. Rosenthal explicitly markets his collective with a direct link to the drug counterculture with the “420″ reference. There is nothing in the name even suggesting it is being marketed toward sick people. Rather it is a direct marketing reference to the drug counterculture. For some interesting background on the “420″ drug counterculture reference check out the links here, here, here, and here. Is this the image we want to import into Nipomo at a local pot dispensary? If you are marketing yourself as a medical or medicinal alternative, why specifically target the current drug counterculture?
What about inside? How might our community pot dispensary look? Can you imagine row upon row of glass cases filled with the various pot samples available? The following images are taken directly from Mr. Rosenthal’s TerraFarma 420 website here.
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AFGHAN KUSH
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| Type: | Indica |
| Grade: | A+ |
| Visual: | Uniquely light brown, node like fowers |
| Scent: | An earthy, pungeant skunky fragrance. |
| Taste/ Smoke: | A pure, smooth and lung expanding smoke. Effects felt immediately. |
| Overall: | Long lasting and stony. Pain and anxiety relieving. Recommended for appetite and stress relief. |
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SUPER LEMON HAZE
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| Type: | Sativa |
| Grade: | A++ |
| Visual: | Large to medium compact buds, red hairs, crystals |
| Scent: | Spicy, earthy, slightly skunky |
| Taste/ Smoke: | Very smooth, crisp fragrant smoke with fruit undertones. |
| Overall: | Euphoric and uplifting, good choice for a focused, relaxed feeling. |
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CHERRY KUSH
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| Type: | Indica |
| Grade: | A++ |
| Visual: | Large dense buds |
| Scent: | Cherry and sweet fruit aroma |
| Taste/ Smoke: | Very reflective of how the buds smell, a pungent and rich taste strikes the senses. A very smooth smoke. The bomb! |
| Overall: | Intense body high good for pain, discomfort, stress relief |
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AK47
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BLUE DREAM
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| Type: | Sativa Hybrid |
| Grade: | A |
| Visual: | Blue Dream is a beautifully compacted, multicolored bud. Light green with hues of orange, dark green, blue and white. |
| Scent: | A sweet smelling rich floral aroma as opposed to being citrucy or fruity. |
| Taste/ Smoke: | Blue Dream is one of the smoothest smoking cannabis strains. A warm flavor that accentuates the original scent. |
| Overall: | Blue Dream is recommended for depression, inducing creativity and relieving anxiety. |
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BLUEBERRY THAI
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| Type: | Sativa Hybrid |
| Grade: | A+ |
| Visual: | Light green with purple undertones |
| Scent: | Earthy fragrance with a hint of pine |
| Taste/ Smoke: | Smooth and pleasant. |
| Overall: | This is an uplifting strain that will please those looking for a “head high”. |
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COTTON CANDY
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| Type: | Indica |
| Grade: | A+ |
| Visual: | As the name suggests, this strain smokes sweet and fragrant. Purple with dark green undertones. Rich with red hairs and dark trichomes. |
| Scent: | A very rich, sweet floral aroma that is expressed with most purple stains. |
| Taste/ Smoke: | Reflective of it’s floral form, a dark, rich tasting flavor. A lung expanding smoke. |
| Overall: | Recommended for any patient who suffers from body pains or headaches. Also works well for insomnia and appetite. |
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ORGANIC WATER PROCESSED HASH
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| Type: | Mix of Indica strains |
| Description: | Dark Blonde – not sticky, dense |
| Visual: | Looks like hash  |
| Scent: | Earthy floral smoothness |
| Taste/ Smoke: | Reflective of it’s floral form, this hash has a rich tasting flavor. |
| Overall: | Recommended for any patient who suffers from body pains or headaches. Also works well for insomnia and appetite. |
For a more realistic vision the photos which follow are from actual marijuana clinics currently in operation or which at one time were actually in operation in other locations:
These were from a dispensary operating earlier this year in Longmont Colorado:
This is from inside the Starbudz medical- marijuana clinic which operated in North Hollywood until July 2011 when it was closed by the City Attorney’s Office:
You can Google marijuana clinics and see hundred’s of similar images. This is the element Mr. Rosenthal wants to bring to Nipomo, with all the attendant and inherent legal, social, and drug related problems that plague marijuana dispensaries all over California.
Finally, it turns out medical cannabis advocates hold an annual medical cannabis competition in San Francisco. For an interesting selection of photos of what goes on there, please see here, and here.
I am sorry Mr. Rosenthal suffers from lymphoma. If he truly benefits from smoking marijuana, it appears given his current operating collective he will have a supply sufficient for his needs. That is also true for the some 400 patients he claims he has helped over the last year. He can continue to serve those individuals truly in need without coming to Nipomo. I just don’t see any benefit to Nipomo bringing his current collective to a physical location in our community. If you feel the same, let our 4th District Supervisor, Paul Teixeira know your thoughts. His email address is pteixeira@co.slo.ca.us.
To read all prior Marijuana Dispensary posts click here, and scroll down.
More to come . . .
I certainly appreciate your detailed research and information. There isn’t any reason that one should be established anywhere on the planet, let alone Nipomo.
I agree wholeheartedly. We do not need this kind of influence in our community. Thank you for standing up for this moral and societal issue!