In response to our recent post that the medical marijuana dispensary at 45th and Corliss, Truly Helpful Collective, had closed, but that we weren’t sure why, Rhysling posted a link to this Slog article, which gives some background:
Eleven medical marijuana dispensaries in Seattle received letters from the federal Drug Enforcement Administration yesterday, ordering them to shut down within 30 days or risk having their properties seized. Details on the Seattle dispensaries targeted by the DEA come from Kiro:
They all received letters advising them that the manufacture and distribution of a controlled substance was illegal under federal law. U.S. law takes precedence over state law allowing the dispensing of medical marijuana. It’s unclear why 11 dispensaries were singled out.
Rhyslings adds:
It’s understandable the owners would back away from that threat. I hope the Federal agents involved would feel some sense of shame from wasting their life energy and taxpayers’ money chasing medical marijuana.
Additional background on THC Media, from which the above image of Truly Helpful Collective was taken.
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I vaguely recall having heard that they were singled out for proximity to schools, parks, etc. Same reason there won’t be any legal retail in Wallingford or similar neighborhoods, no available retail space that meets the proximity exclusions. So I have heard – again, could be wrong. Broad proximity exclusions are in the state law, though, and it could be a factor in survival of the medical providers — if people would rather go to a neighborhood store rather than drive to the south Seattle industrial area or something, then there’s still a motive to get your phony diagnosis and go medical. Unless the Feds take the proximity rules from the state law and start enforcing them on the medical providers (for the first 11, they may have used a narrower concept of proximity.)
Researching old news . . http://www.kirotv.com/news/news/federal-crackdown-medical-marijuana-dispensaries/nXdjQ/
Like Donn said, “Part of the letter referred to enhanced penalties for operating within 1,000 feet of a school or playground” Truly Helpful might have been within that distance from Meridian.
Still though, the letters were sent in late April with a 30-day shutdown timeline, and here it is late June.
Oh, how sad considering the previous post touted FREE PIZZA!