Cannabis laced with amphetamines found at illegal DC shops amid crackdown

[orthene]

https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/as-dc-shuts-down-illegal-cannabis-shops-police-say-some-sold-other-illegal-drugs/3726922/

There's been a gray area in the laws around selling cannabis in D.C. since residents voted to allow people and shops to gift cannabis.

In July, the D.C. Council passed legislation clarifying the law, and the District has been cracking down on the stores officials say are illegally selling cannabis. As that enforcement continues, police say some of the shuttered and padlocked stores were found to have other illegal drugs.

"We recovered amounts of cannabis, as well as, in one case, suspected heroin, mushrooms," said Jeffery Carroll, the executive assistant chief of police.

"We've had a couple of locations -- almost all of them, actually -- where there's been some cannabis that has been laced with amphetamines. So that is something common that we're seeing," Carroll said.

That can cause harm to buyers visiting the illegally operating stores, he said.

"It just kind of goes to the danger of these locations, because people may think -- they may not know that they're going to an unlicensed establishment, they may think they're getting regulated cannabis. And now, you know, there's amphetamines mixed in with that that they're unaware of," Carroll said.

While D.C. has several medical cannabis dispensaries which are legal to operate, it is illegal to sell recreational cannabis. That's because Republicans in Congress have blocked the District from regulating recreational sales.

However, using recreational cannabis is legal in D.C., and D.C. residents do not need a doctor's recommendation to buy cannabis at medical dispensaries.

In July, the D.C. Council passed legislation authorizing the crackdown on illegal shops, as well as a process for the illegal businesses to become licensed.

Councilmember Charles Allen told News4 more than 100 illegal cannabis shops operate across the District.

"D.C. has gone to great lengths to create a pathway for businesses to get licensed, to come into a legal framework," Allen, council member for Ward 6, said. "And that's been taking place for the last year-and-a-half, two years. But for businesses that want to continue to operate illegally without a license, we've got to have enforcement."

The Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Administration (ABCA) has been issuing cease-and-desist notices to businesses, warning them to come into compliance with D.C. law or risk being shut down.

Since July 15, when the new enforcement began, 26 cease-and-desist orders have been issued and five establishments have been closed by D.C. police and ABCA.

Another 25 establishments were closed because of other types of enforcements, such as by the Department of Health.

"If you're going to remain illegal, if you're going to remain unlicensed, I think the message is pretty loud and clear here that ABCA and the city is going to be coming after you," Allen said.

Police have arrested three people in connection to the closures of the illegal shops.

[KratomToke]

 


 

[JustSayin]

Maybe

maybe not

smells like BS to me in terms of being able to speculate on what contains what. let's see fucking lab results before I react to this.

Evidence or speculation?

Show me the money and the lab results

[orthene]

Just a few thoughts:

"D.C. has gone to great lengths to create a pathway for businesses to get licensed." Hmm, may be more like D.C. has created hurdles with red tape and regulations. Sure, there are things that can, and should, be done for safety and letting the government get their piece of the action. But the NIMBY crowd has some influence here.

Law enforcement has a tendancy to use scare tactics and obfuscation. When there's a bust, the street value of things confiscated seems to be inflated. Remember hearing stories of cops just being in the general vicinity of a baggie with fentanyl, and several fell ill and had to be treated at a hospital? This coming before the stuff is even properly identified. I know the size of a small grain being shown as enough to kill a person, but c'mon its not like the stuff is radioactive.

No explanation of how amphetamine tainted some cannabis. Can't imagine it's an on-purpose kind of thing, because who would want speed in their weed? Someone would have to be pretty sloppy to get both mixed together, but my experience with those two substances exposed in the same room is pretty much nil.

[jones]

Just a few thoughts:



Law enforcement has a tendancy to use scare tactics and obfuscation. When there's a bust, the street value of things confiscated seems to be inflated. Remember hearing stories of cops just being in the general vicinity of a baggie with fentanyl, and several fell ill and had to be treated at a hospital? This coming before the stuff is even properly identified. I know the size of a small grain being shown as enough to kill a person, but c'mon its not like the stuff is radioactive.

No explanation of how amphetamine tainted some cannabis. Can't imagine it's an on-purpose kind of thing, because who would want speed in their weed? Someone would have to be pretty sloppy to get both mixed together, but my experience with those two substances exposed in the same room is pretty much nil.

I can see law enforcement trying to stay relevant by making a big deal about fentanyl/meth in weed, I agree it's most likely just a mistaken one off thing.

I even have a baggy labeled 'meth' around here, cause someone gave me some weed from the bottom of her purse and there was a lil meth in there...