In an old brothel, between a church and a Chinese carryout, Rabbi Jefferey Khan hopes to open a medical marijuana clinic. He said it's divine intervention.
"It's kind of like where God intends you to be at the right time," he explained, "I am a true believer in what the Bible says: you cannot stand idly by while our neighbors are bleeding."
The dispensary would be on busy Blair Road, across from Takoma Station and around the corner from Takoma Park Metro.
Khan said the commercial area is the perfect location, but some residents disagree.
"There are a lot of youngsters around, and I don't think they can police it the right way," said Laroy Coleman.
But the Rabbi and his wife Stephanie, who live nearby, said they plan to beef up security with 24 cameras and an off duty police officer who will be there during business hours.
The Khan's believe with the combination of the cameras and the police officer they'll vastly improve safety of the area, but some think their security measures don't go far enough.
Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner Faith Wheeler said, "We need proper enforcement. We need to be real."
The Commissioner, who has been mugged twice in the area, said a mounted police camera didn't even catch the culprits of a recent robbery at a nearby liquor store. She's also concerned about Triangle Park where she has seen public drinking. Without proper policing, she feared a clinic could bring more trouble.
Resident Raymond Carl offered a different perspective: "The problem is people have to buy drugs illegally, because they have problems, and they need that."
While this battle between neighbors continues, the Khan's said their only fight is for the sick who need relief. Rabbi Khan said Ward 4 has one of the city's oldest population, the most cancer patients, and shares in DC's high rate of AIDS/HIV. His wife Stephanie said medical marijuana helped ease the pain of her father who suffered from Multiple Sclerosis and her mother, who passed of lung cancer last year.
Congress has until July 23rd to vote on the measure already approved by the City Council. Even if it passes, it could be November until we see the first of 8 approved medical marijuana dispensaries.
The clinics must be registered with DC and are limited to 95 plants. Patients can get up to 2 ounces of marijuana a month.
NewsHawk: Ganjarden: 420 MAGAZINE
Source: WUSA9.com
Author: Delia Gonçalves
Contact: WUSA9.com
Copyright: 2010 WUSA9.com
Website: DC Residents Debate Medical Marijuana Clinic
"It's kind of like where God intends you to be at the right time," he explained, "I am a true believer in what the Bible says: you cannot stand idly by while our neighbors are bleeding."
The dispensary would be on busy Blair Road, across from Takoma Station and around the corner from Takoma Park Metro.
Khan said the commercial area is the perfect location, but some residents disagree.
"There are a lot of youngsters around, and I don't think they can police it the right way," said Laroy Coleman.
But the Rabbi and his wife Stephanie, who live nearby, said they plan to beef up security with 24 cameras and an off duty police officer who will be there during business hours.
The Khan's believe with the combination of the cameras and the police officer they'll vastly improve safety of the area, but some think their security measures don't go far enough.
Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner Faith Wheeler said, "We need proper enforcement. We need to be real."
The Commissioner, who has been mugged twice in the area, said a mounted police camera didn't even catch the culprits of a recent robbery at a nearby liquor store. She's also concerned about Triangle Park where she has seen public drinking. Without proper policing, she feared a clinic could bring more trouble.
Resident Raymond Carl offered a different perspective: "The problem is people have to buy drugs illegally, because they have problems, and they need that."
While this battle between neighbors continues, the Khan's said their only fight is for the sick who need relief. Rabbi Khan said Ward 4 has one of the city's oldest population, the most cancer patients, and shares in DC's high rate of AIDS/HIV. His wife Stephanie said medical marijuana helped ease the pain of her father who suffered from Multiple Sclerosis and her mother, who passed of lung cancer last year.
Congress has until July 23rd to vote on the measure already approved by the City Council. Even if it passes, it could be November until we see the first of 8 approved medical marijuana dispensaries.
The clinics must be registered with DC and are limited to 95 plants. Patients can get up to 2 ounces of marijuana a month.
NewsHawk: Ganjarden: 420 MAGAZINE
Source: WUSA9.com
Author: Delia Gonçalves
Contact: WUSA9.com
Copyright: 2010 WUSA9.com
Website: DC Residents Debate Medical Marijuana Clinic
