That's a very good explanation. No one questions places like the Red Cross, etc b/c it seems so understandable that they need a staff, etc to run the place. And, clearly, a staff should get a reasonable salary to live off of. But, for some reason, when running a dispensary, it ONLY makes sense to have one if everything is given away for free & someone pays for the rent, several lawyers that are on retainer, all of the electricity, the water bill, the maintenance, computers, office supplies, etc, etc.... (it's a long list, I promise)... But like I was saying if you don't remember before I started this list... for some reason, it ONLY makes sense, when running a dispensary, to have one if all of those things are paid for out of pocket by someone & everything is given away for free. It just makes me bang my head against the wall that people cannot see a COOP/Dispensary as any other NPO. There are plain ol regular expenses just like any other NPO. Heck, it is any other NPO!!! Just a stereotyped NPO.
Are people mad b/c they don't give out cookies and juice before ya leave? The Red Cross makes me do that after I give blood so I don't get light headed and get into a car crash. They told me it's b/c they are liable if I pass out. They have volunteers too. They also have paid workers. I'm pretty sure they have to pay their electric bills and all that... And they also get
donations as well. Hmmm.... sounds fishy.
ETA: It's important to remember that there are GOOD AND BAD dispensaries out there. I think that it is human nature to more often recall, report, talk about the bad experience than the good ones though. And if you are having so many bad ones, or going to high priced places, or places that you feel are giving you more of an experience of being "sold to by a salesman" than where you feel like you are a part of something or where you want to go back to, where you are treated like you matter, etc... well, then stop going back. I started to volunteer at the place I was talking about in my PP b/c I felt so welcome there. AND I often went there just to stop in, not even b/c I NEEDED anything. Find a place like THAT, and go there. I know our regulars by name, and even a lot of times by voice on the phone. All of the people that volunteer at the coop are like that. Our members are like a big family.