WFCN – The district is facing legal action from two community organizations in Washington, D.C., for allegedly approving medicinal marijuana licenses for businesses close to schools in Penn Quarter and Palisades.
The District of Columbia Court of Appeals is now considering two lawsuits filed by 1,000 Feet and ANC-2C, both of which include the Advisory Neighborhood Commission.
Cannabis license holders are not allowed to operate within 300 feet of Washington, D.C. schools, daycare centers, or leisure centers, however there is an exception made for schools located in commercial zones.
San Francisco has a 600-foot buffer between marijuana businesses and schools, while Washington has some of the laxest laws in the country in this regard.
Per the district’s Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Administration, licenses have been granted to two dispensaries: one is set to operate in Penn Quarter across from the BASIS charter school, and the other is a business called Green Theory, which opened within a mile of five private schools.
Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios
Due to a lack of standing, ABCA has previously rejected attempts to contest the Green Theory license.
“On behalf of 1,000 Feet, we want to shield D.C. children from needless drug exposure.” Lucy Sullivan stated. “The D.C. administration has been permitting marijuana retailers to operate adjacent to or across the street from schools, even though we don’t think that’s appropriate. We also believe that it poses a serious risk to communities and children.
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According to the local group, the city ought to follow the Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act’s 1,000-foot restriction, which forbids clinics from opening within 1,000 feet of schools.
“A federal law has been established to safeguard children’s health, safety, and welfare,” Sullivan stated. “And we think that the D.C. government needs to abide by that law.”
A bill that would have closed the loophole and required all dispensaries to be 300 feet away was recently rejected by the District of Columbia Council.
“We haven’t been given a say in this process,” Sullivan claimed. Hence, adjustments must be made to the process itself. We are hopeful that the courts will concur that children and communities should have a voice and a say in this.
Mark Lytle, who is suing the district on behalf of ANC-2C to prevent a dispensary from establishing in the Penn Quarter neighborhood, stated that “Congress has the authority to allow the Department of Justice to enforce the 1,000-foot rule.”
Additionally, Lytle stated, “We believe that this may help draw attention to this issue and may receive assistance from congressional authors who are writing any riders or things that limit the Department of Justice from taking some action.”