Some Good Old Fashioned Communication?

Good communication...it's a simple thing and it can really make a difference in someone's life. A short while ago, I told you about the new medical marijuana dispensary that set up shop right next door to our pet hospital. At the time, I was very concerned given the nature of the"item" being dispensed. Many of you provided much needed reassurance but I was still concerned with all the controlled substances we have at our hospital. It seems my fears are justified, but there is a bit of good news as well. Since the dispensary opened (less than 3 weeks ago), there have been several calls to the police from nearby home owners about excessive noise and disruptive behavior (what a shocker). And then last week, two people broke into the dispensary overnight hoping to steal any of the marijuana they could find. Fortunately, the police were notified by the alarm service and both of these individuals were caught.

Good news you ask? A few days later, there was an article in our local newspaper about the situation. The owner of the dispensary was interviewed and he informed everyone that this dispensary isn't really a dispensary at all....it is simply a place where people can meet with a doctor in order to obtain a medical marijuana card! There are no products or drugs on site, it is simply a small doctor's office. That was music to our ears so please feel free to share!

My question is this...why didn't the dispensary owner share that information with us (and the other surrounding businesses) earlier? I already have enough gray hair thank you very much. So much stress could have been avoided with just one simple phone call. What do all of you think?

--Dana

Comments

[Chris]

I don't mean to burst your bubble here, but I rarely believe anything I read in the newspaper (our local one or otherwise). It appears to me that there are actually two businesses here, one is where you can see a doctor to get certified for your pot card, the other is a dispensary.

There's no money in doctors appointments for pot cards, there is money in selling pot, I'd bet you that they are selling pot there.

So if the above information is based solely on the article in the paper I would suggest you see if you can corroborate it from other sources.

[jan]

I would also seriously question that no marijuana is kept on the premises. It might just be a way of keeping thieves away.

[Laurel]

I agree with the other comments, Dana. I think these dispensaries are wide-ranging and no one knows the rules yet, so they don't really know how to present themselves.

I feel for you that this complication is impacting your business...I still believe your best recourse is to speak with the landlord and try to make him or her understand that renting to this particular type of business could very well lose him or her other tenants that are likely to be more stable and reliable in the long run.

I hope the dispensary will move or be out of business soon for your sake. Hang in there and keep us posted. It's interesting to hear your real life situation with this issue. Thanks for writing about it.

[turtlecookie]

Thanks for the follow-up, Dana. I would be surprised if the "dispensary" is "not really" a "dispensary." (After all, what does the term "dispensary" mean?) It seems odd that there should be a doctor JUST for getting a medical marijuana card. This upsets me because I hate to see the abuse. There are people who truly benefit from medical marijuana, and I think there is much to be gained from decriminalizing it, but when it is legal for one purpose and not in general then it opens things up to abuse. I'm sorry it has caused problems in the neighborhood and hope it is resolved soon.

[Dana]

Thanks for your comments everyone. You are all correct...it is illogical for this dispensary to not have marijuana on the premises (and you're right Chris...you can't always believe what you read in the newspaper). Wishful thinking on my part I guess! I appreciate everyone's support. We've tried talking to everyone including the landlord, the police, and the neighborhood watch group. I guess we're stuck with it until there are better regulations for these dispensaries. Thanks for supporting me anyway!