Feds Force Washington To Change Marijuana Measurement

[Newsjock]

Source: The Stranger

The Washington State Liquor Control Board will announce later today that it is scrapping a rule about how the agency will measure distances between legal pot shops and schools to meet demands from the US Department of Justice, sources say.

Initiative 502 requires a 1,000-foot buffer between such places, and in the final pot rules announced last week, the agency had decided to measure that distance by "common path of travel" rather than "as the crow flies." The federal government is up in arms about this legal interpretation, and thinks it should be more difficult to site cannabis retailers in Seattle.

... Liquor board head Rick Garza ... said the feds have not specifically said they will raid legal pot shops within 1,000 feet of schools, but the threat was obvious. He says potential licensees, many of whom have started finding potential pot properties based on the "common path of travel" measurement, need to be aware of the change. "We want to make sure they're aware the board plans on using a measurement that aligns with the federal government."

... I received the following response from Department of Justice spokeswoman Emily Langlie: "The Attorney General made clear to Governor Inslee that the Justice Department will continue to enforce the Controlled Substances Act with a sharp focus on federal enforcement priorities."

Read more: http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/09/13/feds-force-washington-to-change-marijuana-measurement

[madrchsod]

1. so the feds are afraid children will see sick people?

the feds will never give up on pot...it`s their life long obsession.

[quakerboy]

7. To be fair, Unless I misunderstand, we are not talking about MMJ

But just pot stores, separate from any specific medical need. So.. maybe less sick people, and more hipsters and college students and businessmen and homemakers and... well, everyone from every walk of life.

How do they measure distance for liquor stores and bars? Or are there even any restrictions on the placement of liquor stores?

[CanSocDem]

11. The "head shops" of the late 60's...

...with their black light posters, peace signs and artworks celebrating the wonders of cannabis changed my life, so I can understand their concern.

Even though I was over 18, those wonderful little shops helped to convince me not to follow the corporate blueprint for my life.

A retail store that sells recreational pot just blows my mind. If they are allowed to promote a lifestyle inside those stores they had better keep children away or USAInc will lose them, like they did me.


.

[gopiscrap]

2. Fucking hypocrisy!!!

[Uncle Joe]

3. How is the distance of Liquor Stores measured from schools in Washington?

Thanks for the thread, Newsjock.

[bhikkhu]

4. Common path of travel will alway be greater than "as the crow flies"

so, unless I am misreading, Washington (state) is using the stricter measure? I don't see how that causes a problem.

[quakerboy]

8. You got it backwards

As the crow flies is a straight line from point A to point B, it is the shortest way possible.

Basically, as the crow flies means you have to take out your compass and draw a thousand foot circle outside of every school, and exclude any pot shops from that area.

Line of travel means (to maybe over simplify) you exclude anything that can be reached in 1000 feet using google map directions.

So for instance, using path of travel, you could have a pot store in a property that touches a school property, as long as theres no direct way through, and you have to walk 1000 feet around the block to actually get there. As the crow flies, you can't have it there.

Or, for my home in particular, I am 3600 feet from the nearest school, by road. As the crow flies, its only approximately 400 feet away.

[Bennyboy]

5. How far do DRUG stores have to be from schools?

here in my town one is right across from the other. DRUG stores.

[Comrade Grumpy]

6. This is totally arbitrary.

It's a measurement used to add an enhanced sentence on certain federal drug offenses. Its relevance to legal marijuana stores is nil.

[jtuck004]

9. Again, on the side of big business. Feds protecting the pot sales at the junior high. n/t

[jmowreader]

10. Here's what Washington law says about siting liquor stores

http://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=66.24.010

(9)(a) Before the board issues any license to any applicant, it shall give (i) due consideration to the location of the business to be conducted under such license with respect to the proximity of churches, schools, and public institutions and (ii) written notice, with receipt verification, of the application to public institutions identified by the board as appropriate to receive such notice, churches, and schools within five hundred feet of the premises to be licensed. The board may not issue a liquor license for either on-premises or off-premises consumption covering any premises not now licensed, if such premises are within five hundred feet of the premises of any tax-supported public elementary or secondary school measured along the most direct route over or across established public walks, streets, or other public passageway from the main entrance of the school to the nearest public entrance of the premises proposed for license, and if, after receipt by the school of the notice as provided in this subsection, the board receives written objection, within twenty days after receiving such notice, from an official representative or representatives of the school within five hundred feet of said proposed licensed premises, indicating to the board that there is an objection to the issuance of such license because of proximity to a school. The board may extend the time period for submitting objections. For the purpose of this section, "church" means a building erected for and used exclusively for religious worship and schooling or other activity in connection therewith. For the purpose of this section, "public institution" means institutions of higher education, parks, community centers, libraries, and transit centers.

In short...

For booze: No liquor stores within 500 feet of a church, school, etc., by common path of travel, only if the church, school, etc. complains

For pot: No pot stores within 1000 straight-line feet of those places, whether the place complains or not