Pubdate: Mon, 21 May 2012
Source: GW Hatchet (George Washington U, DC Edu)
Copyright: 2012 The GW Hatchet
Contact: http://www.gwhatchet.com/home/lettertotheeditor/
Website: http://www.gwhatchet.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/757
Author: Matthew Kwiecinski

MEDICAL MARIJUANA SHOP COULD OPEN NEAR DUPONT

The Foggy Bottom neighborhood could soon be home to one of the 
District's first medical marijuana shops.

A small startup called Herbal Alternatives sought approval from the 
neighborhood's top advocacy group May 16 to move forward with its 
dispensary license application, which must also receive final 
approval from the D.C. Department of Health.

Owner Jennifer Brunenkant plans to turn in final paperwork this week 
for her cannabis business, which was selected in April as one of four 
shops allowed to move ahead with the licensing process.

Marijuana would come from one of the District's six cultivation 
centers, all located in Northeast D.C., approved March 30. D.C. law 
prohibits centers from growing the drug on site.

Only patients suffering from cancer, glaucoma, AIDS or muscle 
dysfunction symptoms can purchase medical marijuana in D.C., 
according to a law passed in March 2010.

Members of the Foggy Bottom and West End Advisory Neighborhood 
Commission weighed in on the business, which lies on its jurisdiction 
line with a storefront facing Dupont Circle, but decided not to vote 
on the application because that area's ANC had already signed off on 
the shop. The store would be located between L and M streets on 20th Street.

Metropolitan Police Department Lieutenant Donald Craig, who oversees 
the proposed dispensary location, initially expressed concern over 
potential "snatch and grab" of the bags once patients leave the 
facility. After hearing Brunenkant's pitch, which included on-site 
guards during business hours and electronic security systems, he said 
the facility seemed secure.

"Since [Herbal Alternatives] will have the bags numbered, if it ever 
does occur, then we would be able to tie the items back to the owner 
and or the facility," Craig said in an email. "And that is very 
helpful for us."

Brunenkant presented to the Dupont Circle group May 7. Commissioner 
Kevin O'Connor said the organization approved the business' 
application to give local residents access to the medical service 
because they did not foresee any significant negative impacts to the area.

The Department of Health will send out final approvals with Mayor 
Vincent Gray's signature by June 25.

Medical marijuana use is permitted in 16 states and D.C.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom