Comments

1
Headline says 30 dispensaries ordered to shut their doors, but the linked article (and what you excerpted in your own post) says it's 11 dispensaries. I'm guessing you conflated the 30-day notice with the number of dispensaries.
2
Ugh. don't the feds have better things to do than prove they have more power than our state laws?
3
@1, I did. It was right in the text but I totally fucked up the headline. Both you and Anna noticed as soon as I published. Thanks!
4
Obama could call off the feds on this with one phone call.
5
Sounds like most were in places they know you can't have a store.

Hint: Stoned Way.
6
@4, not since he received the previous call from Big Pharma, or was it Big Law Enforcement?

Sounds like a precursor to the end of the 502 Spring.
7
@4,6 As bullshit as this presumably may be, I don't think any of us really want to live in a USA where the President interferes with investigations and prosecutions directly like that.
8
Maybe if we had voted down I-502 like the MMJ wanted, none of this would have happened...
9
@8 I'm sure they said that in BC and CA.

You're threatening the cheap labor supply of the prison-industrial complex, as well as those who run jails and border security.

Did you expect them to help you replace their workforce paid pennies on the dollar?
10
Section 256 of the Alabama State Constitution, which has never been repealed (voters refused to do so as recently as 2012) provides in part as follows:
Separate schools shall be provided for white and colored children, and no child of either race shall be permitted to attend a school of the other race.

If you want marijuana to be legal, tell it to Congress, not Olympia (or Obama).
11
On the news this morning, they said that the 11 were called out because they were within 1000 feet of a school, playground, or whatever.
12
Stupid but unsurprising. I'm sympathetic to a degree, but these guys also knew they were taking on more risk than usual.
13
@11 Which is a position the Feds have taken for a long time so these dispensaries either were not following the legal developments, or were knowingly taking the risk.
14
Do we have a list of which 11?
15
the 1000' rule is ridiculous. D.A.R.E. hysteria.
16
Which ones are threatened with closure?
17
@10, why not tell Obama? He could end this nonsense with a single order.

@11, were they breaking state law? Why would the feds need to threaten them before the state warned them?

Anyway, you can be following every state law with a dispensary and "knowingly taking the risk," as that hasn't stopped Obama from raiding them in the past.
18
One of my favorite quotes is from Carl Sagan's, 'The Demon Haunted World.'

I'm paraphrasing because it's from memory:

"The number one job of bureaucracy is to perpetuate itself."

19
No idea why these 11 were picked, eh? No idea. What could it be, that these 11 were picked, and all the rest were left alone. I mean, it's not like the Feds couldn't close all of 'em down, if they wanted to. But no idea why these 11...

News flash: this selective enforcement of Federal law happened before 502, also. The Feds selectively go after people who aren't trying to live within the letter of the current WA law. So stay away from schools, don't cavort with Mexican meth gangs, etc, etc, etc...
20
The Feds selectively go after people who aren't trying to live within the letter of the current WA law. So stay away from schools, don't cavort with Mexican meth gangs, etc, etc, etc...

The Feds also selectively go after people who are trying to and succeeding at living within the letter of current state law.

http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/arch…

When you're dealing with people like this...

The feds are busting growers who operate in full compliance with state laws, vowing to seize the property of anyone who dares to even rent to legal pot dispensaries, and threatening to imprison state employees responsible for regulating medical marijuana.

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/new…

...it's ridiculous to trust the feds that they're accusations are honest or accurate.
21
@19 Kiro clearly states "It's unclear why 11 dispensaries were singled out."

I realize we're talking local media, but if this was the status quo, don't step out of keeping with local ordinances, shouldn't Kiro be able to figure it out?
22
So, to sum up:

1000 feet. Period.

Hey, it's not like The Stranger published a map ... oh ... wait.
23
One of them, named Sara, said her business is not anywhere near a school, and they've complied with all state and local laws.

Is Sara correct or incorrect? I honestly don't know.

Sadly (but predictably), some people here are saying that she's incorrect because the government says so. I'm sure the government appreciates your support.
24
I can't wait till the day when weed is legalized nationwide ...then these bogus Barney Fifes will be out of a job.

Call them DEA, Joint Drug Task Forces, Metropolitan Enforcement Groups, or whatever ludicrous acronym ...they all make their livings busting small-time users, growers & businesses, and they do not deserve to be employed.
25
The were forced to close because there's been another hideous rape in India.
26
Obama is very good at enforcing the laws as they are written. Even though he openly opposes DOMA, he's still enforcing it.

The POTUS' job is to enforce the will of the Congress. If you want the President to do something, you must first change the laws as they are written either through the COTUS or in the courts.

Right now there is a bill before Congress that would prevent the federal government from undermining state laws where marijuana is legal or partially legal. House Bill 1523: the Respect State Marijuana Laws Act (http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?…) needs your support.

Contact your Congressman and both Senators and press them to support the bill. If it passes, we won't see any more news stories like this one.
27
Oh yeah, here's who's already supporting it:

Rep Amash, Justin [MI-3] - 4/12/2013
Rep Benishek, Dan [MI-1] - 4/24/2013
Rep Blumenauer, Earl [OR-3] - 4/12/2013
Rep Cohen, Steve [TN-9] - 4/12/2013
Rep Farr, Sam [CA-20] - 4/16/2013
Rep Grijalva, Raul M. [AZ-3] - 4/24/2013
Rep Hahn, Janice [CA-44] - 4/16/2013
Rep Lee, Barbara [CA-13] - 4/16/2013
Rep Moran, James P. [VA-8] - 4/16/2013
Rep Norton, Eleanor Holmes [DC] - 4/24/2013
Rep Pocan, Mark [WI-2] - 4/16/2013
Rep Polis, Jared [CO-2] - 4/12/2013
Rep Schakowsky, Janice D. [IL-9] - 4/24/2013
Rep Smith, Adam [WA-9] - 4/16/2013
Rep Young, Don [AK] - 4/12/2013

Note that the only Congressperson supporting the bill from WA is Adam Smith. Maybe you should give Jim McDermott a call and ask him to join Adam in defending the will of the WA electorate in DC
28
The POTUS' job is to enforce the will of the Congress.

Did Congress support bombing Libya? Anyway, even if this was true (and I don't really think it is), if Obama opposed the federal regulations on marijuana, he could have easily, with but a single order, had the drug rescheduled, so that it was considered by the law to be as dangerous as heroin or meth.

And, unlike with DOMA, Obama has not voiced an opposition to the raids the feds have made of dispensaries. He did say at the beginning of his first term that he wouldn't use resources to raid dispensaries, but that was a lie, so it doesn't count.

We need to stop pretending that Obama is not responsible for the raids or for the government's continuing conservative views on marijuana..
29
#28, who the fuck cares? What are you to do about it? Vote Republican? Face it you idiot sucker: You have nowhere to go.
30
#29, that's very insightful. Visionary, even.

Best of luck.
31
@ Wallingford’s Truly Helpful Collective and Arasp Khoshkhoo, dispensary owner.

Your dispensary located at 4423 Corliss Avenue North
is within 1000' feet of MULTIPLE schools and parks.
Awesome location. So, I have to think:

1. You did not do your due diligence and map out if you are near school and parks,
which would most likely trigger a Federal response. Basically, you fucked up.
This includes the landowner who didn't do his homework and risk getting
forfeiture and 40 fucking years in Federal prison. Really bright lads, here.

2. You calculated the costs, risks, and benefits of opening and running a
dispensary within those limitations until the Feds close you down.
Same thing with the landowner.

I go with the latter. Basically, your fucking, idiotic greed jeopardizes
any chance of having a legal retail and medical dispensary system in
Wa state and not having conflict with the Feds. Big picture asshole.
I wish the Feds did put the beat down on you and make you cry
like a little pussy.
32
No one wants to hear the following words" THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA vs ( insert name ).
I know because I am facing this reality for providing to the sick and dying in Eastern Washington and had no choice but to agree to going more than 50 plants in a calendar year to avoid a 40 yr potential sentence.
All we can do is hope and pray that the powers that be show compassion to those of us who care for the sick and dying with this holy plant.
If they are not compliant with the location regulations than "shame upon them for being careless in there business practices".
We must show that this industry can be compassionate and care for the sick and help those that are suffering pain find a better way than toxic prescription medications and their numerous dangerous side effects.

Please wait...

Comments are closed.

Commenting on this item is available only to members of the site. You can sign in here or create an account here.


Add a comment
Preview

By posting this comment, you are agreeing to our Terms of Use.