Washington (DC News Now) — A group of parents are protesting a medical marijuana store in the Palisades neighborhood.
Green Theory, a medical marijuana shop that plans to sell cannabis concentrates and gummies, is set to open on MacArthur Boulevard in northwest Washington, D.C., but parents are upset.
Jackie Puente and other parents who live in the area are concerned about how close the store is to five nearby schools, calling it the area's education corridor.
“This is 100 meters from where my son goes to school every day,” Puente said.
Puente, along with other parents, sent a letter of protest to the Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Control Authority (ABCA) on Monday, asking them to deny Green Theory a medical marijuana license. That's because the store is still waiting for license approval.
“Like a lot of people in our community, we feel like this just kind of crept up on us. All of a sudden we had an application,” said Jackie Puente, who lives in the area. . “Every step of the way, it feels like things are already decided and there is nothing we can do to help them.”
Under D.C. law, marijuana shops can operate within 300 feet of a school. But parents say that's too close and that there are loopholes in the rules.
“DC is 300, unless it’s in a commercial zone and an existing store on I-71. The distance to the school is zero feet, so a school can open right next to a school and it’s actually That's what's happening,'' said Michelle Vassallo, a parent and business owner in the neighborhood.
She and others who participated in the protest are calling on ABCA to follow federal drug-free school district rules that prohibit drug distribution within 300 feet of a school.
“We have a location problem overall here. Kids leave school, walk to CVS after school, walk to the public library,” Vassallo said. “They're not adults who know right from wrong. The kids are already talking about opening the store with gummy bears, and they're going to buy gummy bears.”
Parent Lucy Sullivan agrees it's a problem.
“It's across the street from the elementary school and a few doors down from the early childhood center,” Sullivan said.
Earlier this month, the area's Advisory Neighborhood Board voted to support Green Theory's license. This was after the two sides reached a settlement agreement.
Under the agreement, Green Theory will implement 24/7 video surveillance inside and outside the premises, lock all premises during business hours, and provide on-site security from a licensed security contractor. We will also do our best to prevent public consumption of cannabis off-site.
“The people most interested in reducing or reducing public consumption to as close to zero as possible are green theories, second only to the neighborhoods themselves. We must follow in order to survive,” co-founders Robert Martin said at the ANC conference on 6 March.
During that meeting, Martin also sought to alleviate other concerns by explaining how companies market their products.
“There's actually a law that prohibits marketing targeted to children, so you won't find Snickers bars or Starburst-themed packaging in our stores.” If there is, the packaging is very bland,” he explained.
He also said that nicotine-infused or vaporized products will not be sold.
At this point, it is unclear whether the letter of protest sent to ABCA by parents in the area will result in any change. The ABCA said it would only consider protests from the ANC.
Still, the group hopes their efforts will make a difference in the long run as D.C. continues to regulate medical marijuana and gift shops.
“It probably won't solve anything, but I think we're raising awareness of the problem and hopefully that will change,” Vassallo said. “I would like to see D.C. look at distance and do what other cities in the country are doing.”
