Gift Loophole Grows in DC: District of Cannabis

(28 Sep 2017) VOICE-OVER SCRIPT
SOME NIGHTS, THE TABLES AT THIS WASHINGTON RESTAURANT GO FROM SERVING FOOD TO DISHING OUT MARIJUANA.
NATS
INDEPENDENT VENDORS OFFER MEDICAL GRADE MARIJUANA INFUSED GUMMY WORMS…. MARIJUANA BUDS IN JARS..
EVEN CONCENTRATES, A POWERFUL DERIVATIVE THAT LOOKS LIKE MELTED CARAMEL
AND IT IS ALL GIVEN AWAY… SORT OF.
SOUNDBITE: (English) Kevin White, recreational pot sales proponent:
“We can’t outright sell cannabis or edibles, but we’re allowed to gift them so what we do we sell raffle tickets and with our raffle tickets, we gift any of our edibles or whatever we have that’s medicated.”
DC VOTERS APPROVED RECREATIONAL CANNABIS IN 2014, BUT NOT ITS SALE – MEANING IT’S OK TO POSSESS A SMALL AMOUNT, BUT YOU CAN’T SELL OR PURCHASE NON-MEDICAL MARIJUANA IN THE NATION’S CAPITAL.
ENTREPRENEURS ARE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF A LEGAL LOOPHOLE THAT ALLOWS FRIENDS TO SHARE UP TO AN OUNCE OF MARIJUANA.
POP-UP MARKET AND SHOPS SELL T-SHIRTS WITH A “GIFT” OF MARIJUANA ATTACHED.
DC POLICE SAY THE LEGAL LOOPHOLE ISN’T FOOLING ANYONE… BUT ADMIT THEY AREN’T ACTIVELY OUT HUNTING FOR MARIJUANA VENDORS.
SOUNDBITE: (English) Lt. Andrew Struhar, DC police department:
“It’s a priority when it becomes a priority, when we get a complaint then it’s a priority, then it’s a priority.”
LEGAL MARIJUANA SALES CAN BRING IN BIG TAX REVENUES_ $200 MILLION IN COLORADO LAST YEAR _WHICH ALLOW REGULATORS TO HIRE STAFF TO ENFORCE RULES SUCH AS PROHIBITING CONSUMPTION OF POT WHERE IT’S SOLD.
MARIJUANA IS STILL BANNED AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL. BECAUSE CONGRESS HAS FINAL SAY ON THE CITY’S AFFAIRS, DC IS PROHIBITED FROM SPENDING ANY MONEY ON DEVELOPING REGULATIONS.
COUNCILMAN DAVID GROSSO WANTS TO SEE THE CITY SPEND MONEY TO DEVELOP REGULATIONS IN SPITE OF CONGRESS.
SOUNDBITE: (English) David Grosso, councilman, Washington:
“What are they going to do, throw us all in jail? I don’t think so. My problem is I can’t convince people that marijuana is an issue that they should go to jail.”
MEDICAL MARIJUANA LINGERED IN SIMILAR LIMBO FOR MORE THAN A DECADE BEFORE IT BECAME LEGAL FOR SALE IN DC IN 2011.
ACCORDING TO ONE ESTIMATE, THE DISTRICT IS LOSING ABOUT $130 MILLION EACH YEAR IN TAX MONEY WITHOUT A REGULATED RECREATIONAL MARKET… WHILE THESE CREATIVE VENDORS HAVE FOUND WAYS TO COME OUT AHEAD.
ASHRAF KHALIL, ASSOCIATED PRESS, WASHINGTON

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