Ypsilanti’s 3rd Coast Compassion Center, the first medical marijuana dispensary opened in the state, is continuing operations as normal despite a state Court of Appeals ruling last week prohibiting “patient to patient” sales of medical marijuana. Ypsilanti’s 3rd Coast Compassion Center, the first medical marijuana dispensary opened in the state, is continuing operations as normal despite a state Court of Appeals ruling last week prohibiting “patient to patient” sales of medical marijuana.

The court opinion overturned an Isabella County Circuit Court ruling involving Compassionate Apothecary LLC, located in Mt. Pleasant, in which owners Brandon McQueen and Matthew Taylor had testified they retained at least 20 percent of the sale price of medical marijuana.

The ruling stated the dispensary can be shut down as a public nuisance as it is in violation of the Public Health Code.

Jamie Lowell, director for the 3rd Coast Compassion Center, said Tuesday they are a non-profit organization that accepts private donations in order to pay bills and salaries. He said they have not closed their doors, unlike some dispensaries in the area, because they are continuing to operate within the confines of the law according to the spirit and intent of the 2008 Michigan Medical Marihuana Act.

“A lot of us have been running as non profits,” said Lowell. “We are looking at this ruling in a lot more narrow sense in that it affects one specific place that runs its business in a specific way. But we’re still trying to figure it all out and whether it affects us.”

Lowell said they did close the day the appellate court ruling was released but reopened the following day. He said they have been in contact with city of Ypsilanti administration.