Monday brought the closure of one of San Francisco’s oldest pot dispensaries. Market Street Cooperative closed its doors after 14 years following a federal crackdown on landlords who rent to pot dispensaries.
The pot club was well known for its affordable medical cannabis, free yoga, acupuncture, and chair massages.
Yesterday, medical marijuana supporters upset by the closure took to the steps of the Federal Building in SF to protest the forced closure. This is the fifth pot club in The Bay to close its doors due to the federal crackdown.
The pot dispensary was warned that their landlord was violating federal laws by allowing them to sell medical marijuana and they would need to close or forfeit their land. Co-op director Tate Swindell said:
“This routine of forcing landlords to evict law-abiding clubs will drive sick and disabled patients back into the streets to find relief from their suffering.”
One of the many people that benefited from the pot club is Michael Petrelis, a member of the co-op for more than a decade:
“As a longtime person living with AIDS, I take a daily cocktail of pills and in 2011 my total drug costs were $48,000 and the side-effects of the cocktail were lessened because I had access to affordable, organic medicinal cannabis from the Market Street Coop.”
The co-op said they hope the closure is temporary, but only time will tell if they will be able to open another shop in The City.
Translation: Someone wasnt getting their kick backs.