Benton County, Washington, is a region that is estimated to have a population of about 200,000 people. It's one of many counties in Washington state that operates with a non-chartered commission form of government. And Benton county is just one of several areas that make-up Washington's 4th congressional district.
And the few there who set the rules, like the Benton County commissioners, have recently decided that they want to ban any progress in the cannabis market for their Benton County area.
They have sought to prevent any and all new cannabis shops from opening in unincorporated areas of the region.
At the moment, there are just three shops in the region, with plans for a fourth one to soon be developed. These four are the only ones who have an acceptable license that gives them authority to operate.
Those four shops will be allowed to continue but if they fail, that's it.
There won't be any new shops that will be allowed to take their place. And the owners of those current licenses are prohibited from being able to sell or transfer the license to any new party.
It only took about 30 people voicing their concerns in the matter, to supposedly convince officials in the region that they should move forward with the ban.
Several residents are allegedly concerned about plans for a cannabis shop to be opened within 1,000 feet from a preschool, that's fueling their activism to try and tell other people how they should use their property. As well as what sort of voluntary exchanges they should be legally allowed to make within the region.
Cannabis was legalized for recreational use in Washington, along with other states, but that doesn't mean that everyone in Washington is in support of it. And Benton County was one of the areas that the legalization initiative had failed, despite receiving enough support to eventually pass.
But is every individual in that region against this plant? No. And so should the few or even the majority who are, be able to tell others what they can do with their own private property? Or be able to prevent others from deciding for themselves and engaging in this activity in that region if they choose to?
For the Benton County region, they've got dozens of liquor stores, plenty of Rite Aids, numerous fast food locations, all of which could contribute a tremendous amount of damage to individuals depending on how they use or abuse the products that are sold there.
At the moment, there are dozens of different cannabis shop locations that have sprung up across Washington, and so despite Benton County looking to prevent growth in this area for their own region, it's certainly taking off in the rest of Washington. And individuals who live in Benton County don't have to travel that far in order to find a large selection of cannabis products in the state.
Sources:
http://keprtv.com/news/local/benton-county-commissioners-no-more-pot-shops
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/news/local/article174156131.html
Pics:
Pixabay
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Tenor via tenor.com/view/thumbsdown-gladiator-boo-disapprove-gif-3553183
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World Atlas via worldatlas.com/na/us/wa/c-benton-county-washington.html
So living in the western part of the state(Pierce County), cannabis shop's are like Starbucks over here. They are on every corner. Benton County is on the Eastern side of the state, so this doesn't surprise me. If you want some weed in WA state you really don't have to go to far...lol
true that.
legal cannabis is retarded. its way too overpriced. it should just be decriminalized.
Is it because you can't buy by the ounce in stores?
I think the best option here, if this continues into the long run, is to invest in shops close to the border of the county.
Why? Mexican outdoor weed is garbage. Might as well smoke some freezeland from the 70s grown in the forest with no attention whatsoever towards the plant during the growing. Indoor is 3x better, no matter the strain
Hi, @doitvolontarily, Thank you for sharing. Always, in every part of the world, it will have some extremist activist who is still looking in the old regulation and even the government will publish studies about the benefit of Cannabis they are so brain-washed that they will never change their opinions and especially in the USA. Thank you!
I once wrote several articles on how different cannabis strains help relieve anxiety, stress and depression symptoms and cure insomnia and digestive issues amongst other problems. Do they really work? Are they really more effective than the drugs prescribed for these problems? Also, does smoking a strain make you addicted to it soon enough? Or do you have to consistently use it to develop the addiction?
They have no with drawl symptoms when used in moderation. Even daily use is okay and it's my belief that anybody who says they experienced "withdrawal" symptoms it's not physical but rather mental "withdrawal". I know first hand as I'm a heavy high tolerance smoker and when I have no marijuana the first couple of days I'll want to smoke but don't and I find myself a bit irritable. After about 2-3 days I'm feeling happy and everything's great!
Aah right. So cannabis does relieve anxiety? Which strains do you use?
What is addction so what if you have to smoke everyday, its not like a pack of cigs a day
And weed does relieve anxiety but it always depends on the set and setting. Weed is not like alcohol, so unless you are an experienced drug user, you won't really understand set and setting, but basic example: getting high at work for stress relief vs getting high at home for stress relief, I'm telling you, at work you might still be stressed!
Free market be damned. I guess if you can't sell alcohol or cigarettes within that distance too, then it is what it is, but if cigarettes and alcohol can be closer than marijuana then baaah. But just let the free market go. I don't think these pit shops are trying to sell weed to preschoolers..
FREE THE WEED!
Nice pots .
I am not surpised Washington took this position, maybe they are just trying to look better than the rest of the nation. Marijuana's so not harmful compared to what people do on alcohol
Interesting post. I'm surprised more communities that sell Pot are not embracing it more for the added tax. I guess the reality is, I am not certain if it increases tourism or if it is more from local sales.
Thanks for your work as well! Followed @doitvoluntarily
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