Pot Club In My Neighborhood?
Photo courtesy of the San Francisco Bay Guardian
I wanted to get your opinions on this issue.
I was walking home from the beach the other day and just a block away from my apartment found a medical marijuana establishment moving in what used to be a chiropractic office. There were signs all over the windows explaining the need for this business in the area and also a public hearing notice for March 18th at City Hall.
While I was reading the signage, the owner came out and talked to me. She explained that she was a breast cancer survivor and that marijuana helped her through that trying time. She also explained that there are many other patients in my area that have a need for this establishment.
According to her our police chief is in agreement and actually thinks that it should be legalized and taxed in order to gain much needed revenue for the city. A bill has just passed which allows for this to take place.
While I have nothing against marijuana and legalizing it, I do have some qualms about the dispensary being a block away. While the owner insists that there will be heavy security in place, I still do think that there is a strong possibility of increased crime in the area. We already have our fair share of gang activity out here so I am really on the fence about this situation.
There is strong opposition to this by businesses in the area as well.
I guess I just would like all of your opinions on this and would like to know would you be in favor of a medical marijuana dispensary moving into your neighborhood?
Comments
There are many other medicines that can be used in the place of pot; but some people will use any excuse to have pot legally. Truth Ferret
Anything Davao
As someone else said, it will actually pay to have MORE cops on duty and increased revenue to make the area look better to. You can say that's theory, but then so is the 'crime will go up' side...
But beyond that, what about disabled people who live in the sunset and depend on pot over pills? I say if there's enough of them that the club is able tmake profit, then maybe it IS needed, no?
Way better than buying from Paco on the street corner .My money stayed in the US!
That said, I think pot SHOULD be legalized and that dispensaries can be a good thing for people who really need them. But clearly where I live, they have been abused and they are attracting an element that is making my town less of a desirable place to live. My neighborhood is about big enough for ONE dispensary, not the plethora that has sprung up.
So depending on a lot of other things going on in your own neighborhood, this new pot dispensary could be a good or a bad thing. It sounds to me like the owner has her heart in the right place, and I know that up north, you guys have a better handle on regulating these dispensaries (if you have any questions about that, you should look into the laws in your city). If it's as it seems to have been represented to you, there shouldn't be any relationship between gang activity and this establishment. But I don't blame you for being uncomfortable.
Perscription drug abuse is a huge problem, not just pot, but doctor prescribed RX medicines that have FDA approval. So dopers use that as well.
I'm not sure how I feel about the special centers. I think it should be approved as a drug and dispensed at a pharmacy with those types of controls and should be universal and not located to small areas (where you might have undesireables comeing into the neighborhood because of it.
It is a complicated issue. Best of luck.
Diane
Thanks again to all of you for reading and commenting here.
I am Paul. I am one of the partners of the Bay Area Compassion Health Center. Please come by and talk. Some of the original comments are a little inaccurate. Chief Gascone DID say that he thinks that Marijuana should be legalized and taxed. He also said that Marijuana is NOT medicine.
Our project is NOT a pot club. No smoking inside or around the premises. WE are not allowing anyone under 21 inside unless accompanied by an adult (parent/guardian). This is about the medicine. We are working on strains with less THC and higher CBD levels. I personally do not smoke cannabis but apply a topical remedy for chronic pain.
Please feel free to stop by or email me to make arrangements to meet. Paul@Bachcares.com
xoxo