D.C. Continues Crackdown On Cannabis Gifting Shops: One Arrested, Store Padlocked, Although Many More Remain Open
On Friday, September 13, Washington D.C. authorities shut down Green Cloud Shop, an unlicensed cannabis business, as part of a broader crackdown on illegal cannabis operations.
The Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Administration (ABCA), alongside the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), padlocked the shop. The owner, a 49-year-old man, was arrested and charged with Possession with Intent to Distribute and Operating a Business After Certificate of Authority had been revoked.
This measure came in the context of an ongoing conflict with unregulated “gift economy” cannabis shops, which were tolerated in the past but are now being pushed to adapt to regulations, reported Axios.
Say Goodbye To D.C.’s Cannabis Gifting Economy
Cannabis gifting shops in D.C. have long used a loophole by “gifting” marijuana when customers purchase other products. This allowed them to bypass laws against recreational cannabis sales, in the context of the tricky legal situation affecting Washington D.C. cannabis.
However, city officials are now stepping up enforcement. The more than 100 unlicensed shops that are currently operating …