DC really needs to get pot “gifting” stores under control

[Anonymous]

Ugh. I am really grossed out by the “gifting” stores popping up everywhere with their ugly storefronts, crime, and loiterers outside smoking weed and acting like they own the sidewalk. The DC council really needs to get on top of this and required them to be licensed by ABRA, inspected for dangerous products packaged like candy, and allow ANCs to protest and get settlement agreements about crowd management, smoking in front, and safety. Plus there should not be multiple shops on one block. Does the Council want DC to be a sketchy version of Amsterdam?

[Anonymous]

Have you never been to any of the legal weed states?

[Anonymous]

Gifting?

[Anonymous]

You buy an item like a t shirt or art print, and the weed is a “gift.” It circumvents the law. Rec weed was voted in years ago, but DC has never implemented it. So the workaround is to have shops that gift weed, and no local enforcement. Gotta love living in DC!

[Anonymous]

I'm not a fan of legal pot - I'd rather have patients get approval from their doctor, even if it means doctors writing notes to a lot of pretend patients. But at least it would get marijuana in pharmacies, not just anywhere.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You buy an item like a t shirt or art print, and the weed is a “gift.” It circumvents the law. Rec weed was voted in years ago, but DC has never implemented it. So the workaround is to have shops that gift weed, and no local enforcement. Gotta love living in DC!

The gift thing isn’t really a work around. It doesn’t make it legal. It’s just a myth and sort of tradition, and I think the city supports it because it keeps the product out of sight.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You buy an item like a t shirt or art print, and the weed is a “gift.” It circumvents the law. Rec weed was voted in years ago, but DC has never implemented it. So the workaround is to have shops that gift weed, and no local enforcement. Gotta love living in DC!

For the record, it was Congress that scuttled and broke DC's marijuana law making it dysfunctional.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ugh. I am really grossed out by the “gifting” stores popping up everywhere with their ugly storefronts, crime, and loiterers outside smoking weed and acting like they own the sidewalk. The DC council really needs to get on top of this and required them to be licensed by ABRA, inspected for dangerous products packaged like candy, and allow ANCs to protest and get settlement agreements about crowd management, smoking in front, and safety. Plus there should not be multiple shops on one block. Does the Council want DC to be a sketchy version of Amsterdam?

DC can't regulate it. Congress does not allow sales in DC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ugh. I am really grossed out by the “gifting” stores popping up everywhere with their ugly storefronts, crime, and loiterers outside smoking weed and acting like they own the sidewalk. The DC council really needs to get on top of this and required them to be licensed by ABRA, inspected for dangerous products packaged like candy, and allow ANCs to protest and get settlement agreements about crowd management, smoking in front, and safety. Plus there should not be multiple shops on one block. Does the Council want DC to be a sketchy version of Amsterdam?

DC can't regulate it. Congress does not allow sales in DC.

DC can absolutely regulate it. Everyone knows they are distributing weed inside those stores.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You buy an item like a t shirt or art print, and the weed is a “gift.” It circumvents the law. Rec weed was voted in years ago, but DC has never implemented it. So the workaround is to have shops that gift weed, and no local enforcement. Gotta love living in DC!

The gift thing isn’t really a work around. It doesn’t make it legal. It’s just a myth and sort of tradition, and I think the city supports it because it keeps the product out of sight.

It doesn’t keep the product out of sight, though. People hang around these stores and smoke in the stores and out front. I think the weird work around contributes to a sense of lawlessness, like “we’re getting away with something” that makes it worse.

I’m from Colorado where sales are legal, businesses have to be licensed, and the state collect tax revenue from sales. It’s much better— weed stores are like liquor stores, they are very conservative about enforcement. They check IDs when you enter, they discourage smoking in front of the building, especially in pedestrian heavy areas, etc. It’s truly legalized and treated like alcohol, which means it’s regulated like alcohol too.

DC’s “arrangement” sucks. I’d honestly rather have it be entirely illegal than this, though I support legalization generally.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You buy an item like a t shirt or art print, and the weed is a “gift.” It circumvents the law. Rec weed was voted in years ago, but DC has never implemented it. So the workaround is to have shops that gift weed, and no local enforcement. Gotta love living in DC!

The gift thing isn’t really a work around. It doesn’t make it legal. It’s just a myth and sort of tradition, and I think the city supports it because it keeps the product out of sight.

It doesn’t keep the product out of sight, though. People hang around these stores and smoke in the stores and out front. I think the weird work around contributes to a sense of lawlessness, like “we’re getting away with something” that makes it worse.

I’m from Colorado where sales are legal, businesses have to be licensed, and the state collect tax revenue from sales. It’s much better— weed stores are like liquor stores, they are very conservative about enforcement. They check IDs when you enter, they discourage smoking in front of the building, especially in pedestrian heavy areas, etc. It’s truly legalized and treated like alcohol, which means it’s regulated like alcohol too.

DC’s “arrangement” sucks. I’d honestly rather have it be entirely illegal than this, though I support legalization generally.

Apparently DC’s new idea is to just make all the gifting stores into medical marijuana stores … but prioritizing giving felons licenses. Awesome! I’m sure that will totally get rid of the low-lifes on the block.

https://wtop.com/dc/2023/04/dc-based-gifting-dispensaries-will-be-able-to-get-medical-cannabis-licenses/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ugh. I am really grossed out by the “gifting” stores popping up everywhere with their ugly storefronts, crime, and loiterers outside smoking weed and acting like they own the sidewalk. The DC council really needs to get on top of this and required them to be licensed by ABRA, inspected for dangerous products packaged like candy, and allow ANCs to protest and get settlement agreements about crowd management, smoking in front, and safety. Plus there should not be multiple shops on one block. Does the Council want DC to be a sketchy version of Amsterdam?

Why do you care if other folks are able to score some cookies for their Netflix and chill? Weirdo.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You buy an item like a t shirt or art print, and the weed is a “gift.” It circumvents the law. Rec weed was voted in years ago, but DC has never implemented it. So the workaround is to have shops that gift weed, and no local enforcement. Gotta love living in DC!

The gift thing isn’t really a work around. It doesn’t make it legal. It’s just a myth and sort of tradition, and I think the city supports it because it keeps the product out of sight.

It doesn’t keep the product out of sight, though. People hang around these stores and smoke in the stores and out front. I think the weird work around contributes to a sense of lawlessness, like “we’re getting away with something” that makes it worse.

I’m from Colorado where sales are legal, businesses have to be licensed, and the state collect tax revenue from sales. It’s much better— weed stores are like liquor stores, they are very conservative about enforcement. They check IDs when you enter, they discourage smoking in front of the building, especially in pedestrian heavy areas, etc. It’s truly legalized and treated like alcohol, which means it’s regulated like alcohol too.

DC’s “arrangement” sucks. I’d honestly rather have it be entirely illegal than this, though I support legalization generally.

If only we were a state and could make our own laws that couldn't be vetoed by a bunch of congressmen where we don't have a voting representative...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ugh. I am really grossed out by the “gifting” stores popping up everywhere with their ugly storefronts, crime, and loiterers outside smoking weed and acting like they own the sidewalk. The DC council really needs to get on top of this and required them to be licensed by ABRA, inspected for dangerous products packaged like candy, and allow ANCs to protest and get settlement agreements about crowd management, smoking in front, and safety. Plus there should not be multiple shops on one block. Does the Council want DC to be a sketchy version of Amsterdam?

Why do you care if other folks are able to score some cookies for their Netflix and chill? Weirdo.

I think I made it pretty clear. The gifting shops are blights on the block - ugly, people hanging out in front smoking and acting like they own the block, and distributing unsafe products (edibles designed to look like candy).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You buy an item like a t shirt or art print, and the weed is a “gift.” It circumvents the law. Rec weed was voted in years ago, but DC has never implemented it. So the workaround is to have shops that gift weed, and no local enforcement. Gotta love living in DC!

The gift thing isn’t really a work around. It doesn’t make it legal. It’s just a myth and sort of tradition, and I think the city supports it because it keeps the product out of sight.

It doesn’t keep the product out of sight, though. People hang around these stores and smoke in the stores and out front. I think the weird work around contributes to a sense of lawlessness, like “we’re getting away with something” that makes it worse.

I’m from Colorado where sales are legal, businesses have to be licensed, and the state collect tax revenue from sales. It’s much better— weed stores are like liquor stores, they are very conservative about enforcement. They check IDs when you enter, they discourage smoking in front of the building, especially in pedestrian heavy areas, etc. It’s truly legalized and treated like alcohol, which means it’s regulated like alcohol too.

DC’s “arrangement” sucks. I’d honestly rather have it be entirely illegal than this, though I support legalization generally.

If only we were a state and could make our own laws that couldn't be vetoed by a bunch of congressmen where we don't have a voting representative...

DC can regulate the “gifting” shops.