The estimated 560 Oregon Medical Marijuana Program cardholders in Clatsop County could soon have another dispensary to choose from.

Gary Reynolds, with the help of Astoria Indoor Garden Supply owner Oscar Nelson and others, obtained a business license in September under Sweet Relief Natural Medicine and recently found a location inside the former Bent Needle at 1444 Commercial St.

Were shooting for a February opening, said Reynolds, a cardholder who already grows for others. Its not a hangout. Its a resource for people to get their cards and get help.

Reynolds is preparing to submit a building permit for his newfound location and said his opening is dependent on what the state decides on dispensaries.

On Aug. 14, Gov. John Kitzhaber signed House Bill 3460 into law, authorizing the Oregon Health Authority to establish by Jan. 31 procedures to license and regulate medical marijuana dispensaries. A rules advisory committee composed of law enforcement, patients, dispensary owners and advocates are looking into fees, security, testing and the ability of cities to restrict or ban dispensaries.

Im not going to open my doors until my lawyer says I can open my doors, said Reynolds.

Sweet Relief, he added, would provide marijuana strains to cardholders brought by other registered growers to the shop. About 70 percent of the product would be flowers for smoking, while the rest would be edibles, creams and other products. He added that theres no consumption on the premises, and the business would send marijuana to Portland if testing was needed.

Just the spot

Reynolds, who obtained a business license Sept. 18, rents his location from the owners of next door Essential Mortgage Loan Services Inc. After looking at more than 20 locations, Reynolds is preparing to submit a building permit to retrofit the former Bent Needle space.

Sweet Relief has to be a certain distance away from schools and similar outlets, such as Natures Choice in Uniontown. There, patients, care givers or growers with OMMP cards can get the medicine, supplies and even the doctors sign-off that they need.

There are two similar establishments in Seaside, Puffin Tuff and Seaside Green Cross inside Highway 420.

Astoria City Planner Rosemary Johnson said that because Sweet Relief has met all the criteria and is located in a proper zone for outright use, it doesnt have to go before the City Council. But Astoria Police Chief Pete Curzon said he hopes councilors take a strong look at the dispensary.

Clearly, from the law enforcement aspect, we do not support another medical marijuana store in Astoria, he said. The entire issue is problematic for the state. It contributes to a problem that we have in this community, which is the use of marijuana.

Curzon said he supports policies in cities such as Tualatin, Medford and Gresham that dont allow licenses for any business that violates local, state or federal laws, including dispensaries.

Although his department would respond to any incidents at the business, Curzon said hed leave its monitoring to the Clatsop County Inter-Agency Narcotics Team.

I think dispensaries are making a huge impact on illegal drug use in schools, said Sheriff Deputy Mike Smith, a member of the team.

Although unable to point to specific cases of criminal prosecution related to dispensaries, Smith said that out in the field, hes seen an increase in crime related to them. He said parents sometimes turn over prescription bottles for marijuana theyve taken from children. The high schools are filled with drugs, and mostly marijuana.

In June 2011, Clatsop County Sheriff Tom Bergin served Natures Choice owner Nick Clark a notice stating that the sale of marijuana for any purpose, including medicine, would not be tolerated. Clark maintains that his location is not a dispensary, although its listed as one on sites such as potlocator.com

Oregons medical marijuana program was approved by voters in 1998 and numbered 58,484 cardholders as of Oct. 1, although the current law does not address dispensaries.

States regulation of marijuana is technically illegal under the Controlled Substances Act. But the U.S. Department of Justice has signaled that it will take a trust but verify approach to medical marijuana and legalized marijuana in Colorado and Washington. For Reynolds part, he sees it as a form of medicine besides pills.

Its another avenue for people to deal with pain, and it shouldnt be illegal for that, said Reynolds.