Palisades parents protest medical cannabis shop in ‘education corridor’
WASHINGTON (DC News Now) — A group of parents are protesting a medical cannabis shop in the Palisades area.
Green Theory, a medical cannabis shop planning to sell cannabis concentrate, gummies and more, is intending to open its doors on MacArthur Boulevard in Northwest D.C. But that has parent upset.
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Jackie Puente and other parents who live in the area are concerned with how close the shop is to five neighborhood schools, calling it the area’s education corridor.
“This is 319 feet from where my son goes to school every single day,” Puente said.
Puente, along with other parents, sent a letter of protest to the Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Administration (ABCA) Monday, asking the agency to deny a medical cannabis license to Green Theory. as the shop is still currently awaiting approval on its license.
“I feel, like many people in our community – this snuck up on us. All the sudden there’s a sign up,” said Jackie Puente, who lives in the area. “Every step of the way it was like things were already decided and we have no recourse.”
Under D.C. law, cannabis shops can operate within 300 feet of a school. However, parents argue it’s too close and that there are loopholes to the rule.
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“D.C. is 300, except if you’re in a commercial zone and you’re a preexisting I-71 store. The distance from a school is zero feet, so a school can open right next to a school, which is happening,” said Michelle Vassallo, a parent and business owner in the neighborhood.
She, and others on the letter of protest, are asking ABCA to follow the federal Drug-Free School Zone rules, which prohibit drug distribution within 1,000 feet of a school.
“There’s an issue generally here with the location. The kids leave school and they walk to the CVS after school, they walk to the public library,” said Vassallo. “They’re not adults knowing right from wrong. The kids are already talking about the store opening with gummies, they’re going to get gummies.”
Parent Lucy Sullivan agrees that it’s an issue.
“It’s directly across the streets from an elementary school and a couple doors down from an early childhood center,” said Sullivan.
Earlier this month, the area Advisory Neighborhood Commission voted to support Green Theory’s license. This, after the two came to a settlement agreement.
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Per that agreement, Green Theory will include 24/7 video surveillance both inside and outside the property, will keep the property locked during all operating hours and have on-site security provided by a licensed security contractor. It’ll also do its best to ensure public consumption of cannabis does not happen outside the property.
“The folks with the most vested interest in reducing or creating as near zero public consumption possible, second to the neighborhood itself, is Green Theory. We have to comply to survive,” said co-founder Robert Martin during an ANC meeting on March 6.
During that meeting, Martin also tried to alleviate other concerns by explaining how the business will sell its products.
“There’s actually laws governing that no marketing can target children. So there’s not going to be Snickers bars or Starburst themed packaging in the store. If you’ve ever shopped in a medical cannabis dispensary in D.C., the packaging is very bland,” he explained.
He also noted there will be no nicotine or vaporizing products sold.
At this point, it’s unclear if the letter of protest sent by area parents to ABCA will make any difference. ABCA has said it will only consider protests from ANC’s.
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Still, the group is hopeful their efforts will make a difference in the long run as D.C. continues to regulate medical cannabis and gifting shops.
“Maybe it won’t get anywhere but I think we’re bringing awareness to the problem and hopefully change,” Vassallo said. “We’d love D.C. to look at the separation distances and make them more like what other cities in the country are doing.“
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