April 2015
NEWS
The Southwest Portland Post • 3
Medical marijuana dispensaries open in Multnomah Village, Crestwood
By Erik Vidstrand
The Southwest Portland Post
A medical marijuana dispensary
recently opened in Multnomah Village.
Green Cottage Remedies is located in
the back of the Coin Cottage at 3675 SW
Troy. Owners Paul Rigby and his wife
opened the dispensary in late February.
In March 2014, medical marijuana
dispensaries were legalized in
Oregon. So far, the Medical Marijuana
Dispensary Program has approved 223
dispensary applications for operation.
Dispensaries must be registered by
the Oregon Health Authority. Only a
patient or caregiver who has an Oregon
Medical Marijuana Program card is
allowed inside.
Rigby’s coin shop has been in business
for over ten years. They moved into the
Rose City Trophies space four years ago.
“It’s a concrete bunker,” Rigby
explained. “It’s secure and safe. It was
the right business time to do this.”
It wasn’t an easy process, Rigby
confessed. All applications must be
accompanied by a one-time fee of
$4,000.
Then there was all the paperwork.
The state has a list of requirements: a
fully operational security system; a safe
or vault; and employee training on the
policies and procedures.
Rigby installed 40 cameras throughout
the property and building.
The state also requires that all
packaging and labeling comply with
administrative rules.
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Dispensaries may not be within 1,000
feet of a school or another dispensary.
According to Rigby, another dispensary
was due to open in the area but it was
closer than 1,000 feet.
Rigby, himself, has chronic arthritis.
He has been to the chiropractor and
acupuncturists for years, but only was a
short relief. He wanted to help himself,
and others.
“When I began using marijuana oil,”
Rigby shared, “I felt relief for the first
time.”
Rigby went on to explain the benefits
of medical marijuana with its distinction
of having both THC, the chemical that
makes one high, and cannabinoids,
which actually excites the brain with
no high.
According to Dr. Frances Jensen,
a neuroscientist at the University of
Pennsylvania Perelman School of
Medicine, some studies show that the
use of medical marijuana has shown to
help children with autism and epilepsy.
Medical marijuana has also been used
for post traumatic stress syndrome,
nausea, spasms, and, pain. It can help
with side effects from cancer treatment.
“The oil can run as high as $300 for
a small bottle,” Rigby explained, “but
compare that to surgery, hospitalization,
drugs, and doctor bills.”
Kathy Huffman, a school psychologist
who lives across the street from
Cottage, brought up her concern for
the dispensary at a recent neighborhood
association when she saw the A-board
sign out front. There wasn’t much
feedback.
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Medical marijuana products displayed inside Green Cottage Remedies are only available
for purchase to those with a physician's authorization and valid OMMP card.
(Post photo by Erik Vidstrand)
She then contacted The Post.
“I admit,” Huffman said over the
phone, “I was pretty irritated at first.”
She had her son delve into city
records. No permits for remodeling
have been pulled since 2011.
“That alone is troubling,” Huffman
explained, “but furthermore, the
business owner did not notify neighbors
about the addition to their business.”
They are not legally required to
disclose business intentions. Rigby said
he’s been a member of the business
association and hasn’t heard of any
concerns.
“Is this any different than opening
a liquor establishment?” Huffman
inquired. “There has to be a 45-day
notification process. Their actions
concern me about how this business
will be run.”
Randy Bonella, Multnomah Village
Business Association representative,
reported there haven’t been any issues
so far.
“The state can make an unannounced
visit at any time,” Rigby said. “They
can view our videos and look over our
records.”
When the legalization of recreational
marijuana takes effect on July, wil1
recreational and medical marijuana
services be housed under one roof?
“OLCC does not want to be
responsible for the co-location of
medical and recreational operations,
unless the medical side is run in
a manner consistent with federal
guidelines,” said Oregon Liquor
Control Commission chairman Rob
Patridge.
Federal guidelines require that
states that have legalized recreational
marijuana ensure that the drug does
not move into the illegal market or
across state lines.
Another dispensary, Green Goddess
Remedies, opened last year in
Crestwood at 5435 SW Taylors Ferry
Road. The building was vandalized in
late February.
The electricity from the panel on
55th Avenue was turned off and the
building was tagged with graffiti.
“I am sad that someone would
vandalize a legitimate business within
our neighborhood,” John Prouty,
vice-president of the Crestwood
Neighborhood Association wrote on
the neighborhood’s listserv.
“Even if you don’t agree with the
business, no one has the right to do
damage to another’s property. Oregon
voters passed laws that allow medical
marijuana to be sold in our state.”
Green Goddess has a good neighbor
agreement with the Crestwood and
Ashcreek neighborhood associations.
Since the opening of Green Cottage
Remedies, neighbor Huffman has not
noticed any problems. “Other than a
car-clogged street and more difficult
access to my driveway, there have been
no other obvious problems,” Huffman
recently told The Post.
For information on the medical
marijuana dispensary program, please
visit www.oregon.gov/mmj.