Rising Dispensary Robberies Cause Worry

[sac beh]

Over the past few months there have been a handful of medical marijuana dispensary robberies in the greater Denver area. This is really unfortunate for the caregivers, patients, businesses and neighborhoods involved. But the common solutions implied in articles like this completely miss the mark.

Residents worry about shooting as children walk by the dispensary on their way to the nearby St. Charles Place Park recreation center and neighborhood schools.

"I think it’s potentially dangerous," said Faith Katz, a teacher in the adjacent Whittier neighborhood. "Here, especially in this neighborhood, there are a lot of people who walk. A lot of my students walk to and from school."

As for just having a pot dispensary in a residential neighborhood, Katz said, "I think it presents a danger to residents as well as an open invitation for young children."

I can understand the sentiments, but is the danger really the pot, which is helping thousands of patients live better lives? Or, are the the prohibitionists the ones who have put neighborhoods and children at risk by creating a violent black market?

Police believe the robbers are reselling the stolen medical marijuana on the street.

This is brilliant detective work here! What they won't tell you, though, is WHY there is a black market for marijuana. In my opinion, this is a strong argument to reconsider the past 100 years of prohibition of cannabis and to legalize it. But inevitably with articles like this, fear and ignorance will lead to limiting and shutting down dispensaries, which is just a small band-aid.

Read the whole article: http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/21914329/detail.html

 

[Skip]

Sacramento Dispensary Robberies:
http://www.news10.net/news/article.aspx?storyid=57990&provider=top&catid=188

Two good points in this article:
1. Liquor & convenience stores get robbed all the time, yet I don't see ppl calling for them to be shut down.
2. In this case what is being robbed is MEDICINE, not liquor! So this should put the police on the side of the dispensary and the patients, not against them!

Don't want your medicine robbed? Then LEGALIZE IT!

 

[MacGyver420]

that whole article is one sided and a sham

they leave out alot of key points and its clear that the writer has an agenda

by the way expect more of this

since that latest dispensary robbery just last week they are going to try and capatilize on how "dangerous" and "unsafe" the dispensaries are for the community.. like skip said does this mean we should outlaw liquor stores, gas stations, 7-11's, banks; or anywhere else generally known to have large amounts of cash on hand? the prohibitionist argument here is basically invaild but that wont stop them from spewing it all over the news.

i also heard that the latest robbery was an inside job....
brand new safe installed and within days someone comes in after hours; bypassess security system; and with some help just lifted the whole safe and took it with them
dispensary claimed they had 10,000 in cash in that safe im guessing they had even more than that

what i want to know is why is the dispensary owner putting himself at risk like that? if he had the brinks truck come by once a day and do a drop for him then his cash would be safe and there would be basically nothing to rob except some weed...

unfortunaly i think many dispensaries arent on the "up and up"; it is my belief that most are not reporting all of the cash that flows through their doors so they dont want bank records showing this either...

 

[ogatec]

its the dispensery's fault, with all that cash & pot on hand they should have as much security as a bank would. then again, it sure doesnt stop banks from beeing robbed.

 

[Noobian]

Skip I love you man I really do, you do a great service posting your links on IC Mag every day but I have to say everytime I see you say "Don't like *insert any random circumstance*? LEGALIZE IT!" it cracks me up because sometimes in my more silly moments I like to think of something completely outlandish and picture you saying legalize it. "Don't like your grandmother getting anally raped? LEGALIZE IT!" "Don't like Mickey Mouse beating the kiddies with wiffle ball bats while Pluto takes a crap in his mouth? LEGALIZE IT!" "Don't like space aliens stealing your cookies and milk every Thursday night before you go to sleep? LEGALIZE IT!" LOL

OK I'm going to go back to lurking now sorry

 

[Skip]

Skip I love you man I really do, you do a great service posting your links on IC Mag every day but I have to say everytime I see you say "Don't like *insert any random circumstance*? LEGALIZE IT!" it cracks me up because sometimes in my more silly moments I like to think of something completely outlandish and picture you saying legalize it. "Don't like your grandmother getting anally raped? LEGALIZE IT!" "Don't like Mickey Mouse beating the kiddies with wiffle ball bats while Pluto takes a crap in his mouth? LEGALIZE IT!" "Don't like space aliens stealing your cookies and milk every Thursday night before you go to sleep? LEGALIZE IT!" LOL

OK I'm going to go back to lurking now sorry

LMAO! Glad someone noticed!

Yeah, I keep wondering just how outrageous this new prohibition drive is getting, and what I can post up next...

But seriously, I'm going to compile all the times I've said it at some point to show just how ridiculous prohibition is, how many things are fucked just cause it's still illegal, and how much better things would be once legalization takes effect.

 

[IamNug]

noobian, that's a funny insight you had. it's such a catchy phrase.

1. increase security

2. focus on the crime being commited, I heard of someone robbing pharmacies a little while back, you know 'drug stores'... the cops were all over that shit heavy but I don't recall if the robber was caught, I have a feeling he was.

.02

 

[MacGyver420]

noobian, that's a funny insight you had. it's such a catchy phrase.

1. increase security

2. focus on the crime being commited, I heard of someone robbing pharmacies a little while back, you know 'drug stores'... the cops were all over that shit heavy but I don't recall if the robber was caught, I have a feeling he was.

.02

he was caught eventually but i believe he robbed over 17 pharmacies in multiple states -- good point though you didnt hear any cries for "an end to walgreens"

 

[Thatdude718]

shyt happens just be happy noone got shot and lear from your mistakes,,,,,, and dont trust dudes who look like theyll rob you lol

 

[cobcoop]

In a local paper here they ran two articles, side by fucking side; one a statement from a local police chief talking about how allowing medical marijuana into the community would invite crime and robberies, the other stating that police were looking for thieves who had broken into a pharmacy...

 

[Grass Lands]

Sacramento Dispensary Robberies:
http://www.news10.net/news/article.aspx?storyid=57990&provider=top&catid=188

Two good points in this article:
1. Liquor & convenience stores get robbed all the time, yet I don't see ppl calling for them to be shut down.
2. In this case what is being robbed is MEDICINE, not liquor! So this should put the police on the side of the dispensary and the patients, not against them!

Don't want your medicine robbed? Then LEGALIZE IT!

my brother-in-law lives in a very small central valley town in cali..a store clerk less then half a mile from his house was shot and killed and the next day it was business as usual at the store..but heaven forbid a mmj dispensary be robbed...oh those bad marijuana user, they need to go...

I'm with ya skip if they legalize it, a lot of the crime will go away...but only if it is legalized across the board and not just for medical...there will still be a blackmarket if only legalized for med use.

 

[NUG-JUG]

As a Denverite myself who works here in Five Points by Whittier and a legal medical user I can tell you that the reason these dispensaries are getting robbed is fairly simple. They still operate on black market prices, and some even charge 60-eighth, 450-475 OZ. THEN they add on sales tax This shit is ridiculous and has got to stop.

The only way to do this is to make the shit legal. Then the incentive isn't gone but diminished greatly. There's a special population that gets to smoke pot and the rest are still black market. This is very strange and creates danger. My head's gonna explode the next time I hear one of these retard Colorado conservatives blaming a dispensary getting robbed on "weed being dangerous." Then the same people ignore the old cliche Liqa STo robbery..

 

[Owl Mirror]

I believe 'money is the root of all evil' applies here.
Remove the profit from this commodity and the crime will disappear.

“Give a man a fish; you have fed him for today. Teach a man to fish; and you have fed him for a lifetime”—Author unknown

I truly believe that the medical marijuana communities around the nation have taken the wrong path. As the quote above illustrates, giving someone something is not beneficial or sustainable.
Rather than a focus on professional growers supplying a distribution center, we as a community should volunteer our time and experience in teaching and/or assisting every REGISTERED patient to provide for themselves.

When perfectly healthy people are growing dank fruity-tooty buds and making a comfortable living by their actions. There are far too many patients who go without because they can not afford the outrageous price.

We as a community should focus on mentoring those who are legally able to provide themselves with the fruits of this plant.

 

[Owl Mirror]

OFF TOPIC

Sorry for going a bit off-topic but, I think it's tangential to this discussion.

I am a legally recognised medical marijuana patient.
Even though I can welcome the police in to my grow room at any moment and show that I comply within the current law, I am still forced to live 'under cover', hiding my activities from the general public for fear of being robbed by someone who is either a recreational user or wants to sell my medicine on the black market for a few quick bucks.

Strange that I no longer worry about the authorities, rather fellow marijuana users.

I can not be open about my status as a legal patient in public. That means I must be careful when speaking on the benefits of this plant or, sharing information to those who it may benefit for fear that someone will put two and two together, scope out my house and break in when I leave for the day/night.

I long for the day that every back yard garden in my town has a few marijuana plants growing. When we have that freedom, the need to steal or sell marijuana would disappear since those who would steal could simply grow their own too.

 

[Noobian]

LMAO! Glad someone noticed!

Yeah, I keep wondering just how outrageous this new prohibition drive is getting, and what I can post up next...

But seriously, I'm going to compile all the times I've said it at some point to show just how ridiculous prohibition is, how many things are fucked just cause it's still illegal, and how much better things would be once legalization takes effect.

Sounds like an awesome thread topic, can't wait to see it. And I really can't wait for the day to come when you won't have to put line that in your posts at all!

 

[Noobian]

As a Denverite myself who works here in Five Points by Whittier and a legal medical user I can tell you that the reason these dispensaries are getting robbed is fairly simple. They still operate on black market prices, and some even charge 60-eighth, 450-475 OZ. THEN they add on sales tax This shit is ridiculous and has got to stop.

So you think that if they were charging less money then they would be less likely to have been robbed? Seems like no matter what price it's going for, there's always gonna be somebody out there willing to steal it so they can resell it and make their 100%. Security has to be the top priority for any business selling cannabis in the US especially during this current Prohibition period. I'm sure the operators of this dispensary took every precaution that they could, but maybe sometimes it's just your time to take the fall. They'll rebound stronger or go out of business, hopefully their patients will make do either way.

 

[FallenBuddha]

Two good points in this article:
1. Liquor & convenience stores get robbed all the time, yet I don't see ppl calling for them to be shut down.
2. In this case what is being robbed is MEDICINE, not liquor! So this should put the police on the side of the dispensary and the patients, not against them! from skips post.

also you dont see anyone calling for the closing of banks near schools which also get robbed often, and we all know thats the real criminal in the neighborhood.

peace -fb

 

[Owl Mirror]

also you dont see anyone calling for ........ Marijuana be regarded equally under the law with Tobacco or, vice verse

Tobacco meets and exceeds the requirements to be classified as a Schedule One Drug yet, it remains unregulated.
If the 10 to 30 Million Americans who utilize marijuana would stand up and demand Congressional action on the equity between these two plants, I firmly believe marijuana would be removed from Schedule One status simply because the forces of the market would never allow Tobacco to be classified a Schedule One drug.

You want legalization? This is America's best argument for legalization. [imo]

"Placement on schedules; findings required

Except ... The findings required for each of the schedules are as follows:

(1) Schedule I.—

(A) The drug or other substance has a high potential for abuse.

(B) The drug or other substance has no currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States.

(C) There is a lack of accepted safety for use of the drug or other substance under medical supervision."

No prescriptions may be written for Schedule I substances, and such substances are subject to production quotas by the DEA.

btw, I have smoked cigarettes for the past 40 years and still smoke today.

 

[sac beh]

2 Injured In Medical Marijuana Dispensary Robbery

2 Injured In Medical Marijuana Dispensary Robbery

An interesting update to this story. Looks like this time the dispensary owners took matters into their own hands. They detained one robber and left the other running bloody. Both had guns, so some schools were on lockdown.

“When he pointed the gun at Mercedes, I lost it,” said Melinda Hernandez, 45, referring to her daughter who was applying to be an intern at the dispensary.

When one of the gunmen dropped something, the enraged mother grabbed him around the waist from behind.

“I was on him like stink on s--- and I was not letting go,” said Melinda Hernandez.

“He threatened my baby. When you threaten my family, it’s on!” she declared.

In a flash, the tables were turned as family and friends tackled both gunmen and began a desperate wrestling match to pry the guns from their hands.

The bandits’ guns – an Uzi-like automatic and a handgun – fired several times during the struggle that Rafael Hernandez said lasted more than 10 minutes.

“I had a bullet graze the sleeve of my jacket. So, it was close enough,” Rafael Hernandez said.

“It was life or death,” said Lewis TallBull, 23, a family member who joined the fray.

Rafael Hernandez used a gun still in a bandit’s grip as a hammer against his assailant.

“I broke that gun over his head,” he said.

A grinning Ruben Hernandez chimed in: “We wrecked him."

The father proudly held up two bullets – a 32-caliber shell and a 22.-caliber hollow-point round – that they found on the floor after the fight.

One 6-foot-tall suspect was last seen running up the street with blood pouring from a gash on his forehead.

Family members wrestled the gun away from the second robber, and Melinda Hernandez and others him on the floor until police arrived to handcuff him.

http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/21983704/detail.html

 

[HappyDog]

I hope the quazi-legal market pushes down the price far enough to take the violence out of the equation. When competition causes market saturation the only players left in the game will be those who do it for love of patients and plants. I'm not sayin to take the profit away from those who risk their investments to be open to the public, but when the ridiculously high margins are gone so will go the majority of the criminal element.