Feds say S.F. has more pot clubs than Starbucks, but it might not add up

There are more medical marijuana dispensaries in San Francisco than Starbucks Coffee shops. Or at least, so claims the Office of National Drug Control Policy in a posting on its official blog, pushingback .com.

Seem a little far-fetched? Yep, that's because it is.

The feds contend there are 98 marijuana dispensaries in San Francisco, compared with 71 Starbucks. They even provide a Google map of the supposed locations of both. This allegedly official map has some pot clubs in highly unlikely places, like the top of Nob Hill.

San Francisco's Department of Public Health, which issues permits for medical marijuana dispensaries, is befuddled by the federal data. "I don't know how they got that," Senior Health Inspector Larry Kessler said. The city agency lists 24 pot clubs in the city.

But the feds aren't backing down. Officials there say their information includes dispensaries that are unregulated yet easily findable through a Google search.

"This is information that is readily available to any teenager," said Rafael Lemaitre, a federal drug office spokesman, who called the state's medical marijuana law "essentially a fraud."

Yet when asked for their pot club list, Lemaitre provided only 74 entries for marijuana dispensaries - not 98. He said some alternative medicine-type spots were removed because the feds are actually unsure if they sell pot.

Not all of the 74 hold up, either. Six don't list addresses in San Francisco. Another is 12 Galaxies, the Mission District nightclub that closed in August. At least one dispensary is listed twice. Lemaitre said it's difficult to get precise data on "the illegal drug business."

Bottom line: The feds' data listed fewer than 71 actual marijuana dispensaries in San Francisco, meaning, yes, there are more Starbucks.

Venti cappuccinos for everyone!

Update: Monday night, the feds changed their blog entry to say there are 71 marijuana dispensaries in San Francisco and 66 Starbucks. But Starbucks spokeswoman Vivian Doan told The Chronicle that even though the company Web site lists 66 shops in San Francisco, there are actually 71. So the feds' contention still seems like a bit of a pipe dream.

- John Coté

Not even halfway: The city's Health Department has proposed about $10 million worth of budget cuts to the mayor's office but it still needs to lop off another $17 million this year to help the city make up an expected $90 million to $125 million budget shortfall.

Health officials have resubmitted a lot of the same cuts they proposed earlier this year - cuts that were eventually restored by the mayor or the Board of Supervisors. This time around, said Greg Sass, chief financial officer for public health, the mayor and the supes may have no choice but to accept the cuts.

"We don't really have any brand-new ideas," Sass said. "Generally speaking, our ideas shouldn't come as a surprise."

A spokesman for the mayor said no final decisions have been made.

Among the programs getting hit hardest: Behavioral health services would lose more than $2 million; nearly $1 million would be cut from mental health and substance-abuse outreach programs; HIV prevention efforts would lose more than $1 million; and security work now performed by the Sheriff's Department at hospitals and clinics would be outsourced to private companies.

- Erin Allday

Never mind the street name: The godfather of San Francisco punk rock, a man known for insulting crowds and performers alike, is likely to soon get his own tribute from city leaders.

Dirk Dirksen, the "pope of punk" who died in 2006, operated the Mabuhay Gardens club in North Beach for 10 years, where he brought in acts like Devo, the Dead Kennedys and the Ramones.

The Board of Supervisors is scheduled to vote today on whether to rename Rowland Street, which is adjacent to Broadway and Montgomery Street, as Dirk Dirksen Street. The street is near his old club, also known as "Fab Mab."

Supervisor Tom Ammiano, who is sponsoring the name change, recalled appearing at the club as a comedian. Whoopi Goldberg and Robin Williams also played there.

"There I was performing and I was a little bit nervous. People were laughing and I heard from the back 'You suck!' It was Dirk, and I knew I was in then," Ammiano said.

Some residents on the small street oppose the change. They'd rather the city focus on the ruckus from North Beach revelers that envelops the street on weekends. Somewhat ironically, it's the sort of ruckus that likely spilled out from a punk show.

But no matter. In the conversations over the name change, residents proposed installing a gate at the street entrance and city leaders have expressed interest in doing that.

It's not very punk, but everybody gets something with no punches thrown.

- Wyatt Buchanan

Charity touchdown: They won't be playing at home again until December, but five San Francisco 49ers will make a different sort of appearance today at the San Francisco Food Bank.

Isaac Bruce, Jason Hill, Donald Strickland, Manny Lawson and Parys Haralson will be on hand to help pack food boxes for low-income seniors. Since 2004, the food bank has given out the boxes to nearly half a million people, a total of 15 million pounds of food. Today they'll pack the 500,000th box.

The food boxes are part of a USDA program that serves nearly 10,000 people in San Francisco every month. It nearly was a victim of budget cuts until House Speaker Nancy Pelosi stepped in with a bill last month.

The boxes packed by the 49ers will be passed out Thursday at a senior housing facility.

- Marisa Lagos