Government Restricts The Area–Property Owners Extort The Fee

In an urgent email notice to policymakers and cannabis community leaders, Greta Carter of the patient-driven Cannabis Coalition for Standards and Ethics, CCSE, shared details and solicited assistance for an alleged unethical practice of extorting huge flat fees before leases will be signed.

Cannabis growers and dispensaries already are battling local and federal officials for allowable locations for their business activities. Not only does some local zoning restrict or prohibit many cannabis business activities, now it is alleged that property owners in key, limited allowable areas in Seattle are demanding up to $50,000.00 fees prior to signing leases.

Cut Off Cuts Chances

Legislators have only 48 hours to introduce and pass out of committee any possible resolution to this new form of green-collar crime.

Distance from certain facilities that limits physical space of cannabis activities is under serious consideration at the Washington State Liquor Board, LCB, as they craft rules for implementation of I-502.

Cannabis advocates will be proposing legal or legislative solutions to the alleged extortion. The issue also magnifies the size of the economic impact cannabis will have on Washington state and its future revenue.

Excerpts From Carter’s Call-To-Arms Is Below:

“Property owners who own commercial property in…zoned (cannabis) compliant (areas) are extorting citizens…in one case, wanting $50k in cash before writing a lease… Ironic that the cannabis community is trying to do the right thing and we now engage a new version of white collar crime. There are milder examples of this same behavior, but nothing as bold as this particular one that I’m aware of.”

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