Cops Bust Medical Marijuana Dispensary and Another Pops Up


Do you suppose cannabis-hoovering cops consider medical-marijuana dispensaries like, erm, weeds? They'll bust one–like West Coast Wellness in Costa Mesa–and, lo and behold, another pops up–like Salubrious Rx in Yorba Linda.
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Costa Mesa Police say a recent investigation uncovered evidence that West Coast Wellness at 1260 Logan Ave., Ste.  A-8, was “engaged in the criminal sales of marijuana, outside current California law.” City code also “prohibits the opening and operating of any medical marijuana dispensary,” according to police.

Search warrants issued by the Orange County Superior Court and served around 3 p.m. Thursday led to the arrests of: David Gordon Howes, 49, of Huntington Beach; Daniel Salazar-Rey, 23, of Costa Mesa; and Samual Salazar-Rey, 28, of Costa Mesa, on suspicion of felony possession and sales of marijuana. Ariel Amiee Yarrish, 18, of La Mirada, was also popped on a possession charge. The four were booked into the Costa Mesa Police Department jail.


“Walk in and experience our personable and attractive female bud servers,” invites the West Coast Wellness website. “Centrally located off the 405, 55 & 73 freeways, we have ample parking and offer our patients a SAFE environment.”

Promising a “comfortable/first-class environment” and a staff “committed to excellence,” the club advertises $10 grams of Humboldt Organic, Green Candy as a daily special in $45, $90 and $175 quantitites and an assortment of other strains including Yukon Cheese, LA Confidential, Hindu Skunk, Lavender Kush and Blue Dream, as well as edibles
like brownies, lollipops, Rice Krispies, cookies
and shortbreads.

In all caps they stress, “WE ALWAYS OVERWEIGH!!!” and “WALK-INS WELCOMED!!!”

About the same time West Coast Wellness was being busted, the Orange County Register was reporting the opening of  Salubrious RX at 22607 La Palma
Ave., Ste. 405, in Yorba Linda. It's so new the dispensary's website at salubriousrx.com is not yet up, but WeedMaps.com includes a menu, description and photos of the establishment.
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As Salubrious, which means the promotion of health, “we've established
a safe access facility for all patients and their medical needs,” according to the WeedMaps.com write-up. “We
always attempt to add compassion for this industry, and give it a more
professional touch.” Free gifts are given to all first-time patients at the nonprofit cooperative, and for ever nine donations for an eighth of an ounce, the 10th is free.

Besides their own edibles and strains–including Blue Sheva, Mango Goo, Maui Wowie, Oregon Purple Top
and Super Silver Haze–the joint hawks handmade hemp jewelry.
Grams come in at $12-$19, eighths are $40-$50, quarters are $80-$100, halves are $155-$190 and ounces are $300-$360, depending on the strain. 

It's unclear whether Salubrious Rx can expect a visit from Johnny Law–especially in light of the coverage in the Register. Yorba Linda attempted to ban medical marijuana from being sold in the city
in 2006 by adding a section to the municipal code that states any
business in
violation of state or federal law will be prohibited within city limits. Medical marijuana is not allowed under federal law, although the Obama administration has said it will not target dispensaries.

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