Rainier Beach Businesses Looking To Rebrand 'Medical Marijuana' Image

[Truth Seeker]

The Rainier Beach Merchant's Association say it is working to rebrand Rainier Beach in order to attract more businesses that better reflect the community's needs.

Patrice Thomas works for the merchant's association and said a key concern is the number of medical marijuana providers in the neighborhood.

"From Genesee all the way to 57th here on Rainier Avenue, I noticed about 11 dispensaries pop up during the summer time," said Thomas.

Maia Segura is the co-owner of a marketing company called Penniless Projects, and she is working with Thomas to attract new businesses. She said near the intersection of 57th and Rainier Avenue there are three separate locations where patients can get medical marijuana.

"It is kind of crushing when we see another one come in when we are hoping it will maybe be a gift shop or something we can use," said Segura.

Area merchants have brainstormed with police on ways to diversify the business district. Lt. John Hayes with Seattle Police said officers have been working closely with the community. It has helped reduce crime in the area, and now the focus is remolding Rainier Valley's image.

"We need to do what other parts of the city have done. We need to recruit people. We need to let them know this is a great place," said Lt. Hayes.

Mulugeta Haile, the manager at Tree House Collective, understands the concerns, but points out his business follows the rules and is a good neighbor on a street where there are plenty of 'for lease' signs.

"Medical marijuana pays $1400, $1500 for rent. That helps out for the person that owns a property instead of him having no one to rent it out," said Haile.

"We don't have a problem with the dispensaries. It is just the critical mass of them in these small areas," said Segura.

The merchants association said a grassroots effort is underway to slow what seems like a rush of green to Rainier Valley and bring more variety.

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Source: king5.com
Author: Natalie Swaby
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Website: Rainier Beach businesses looking to rebrand 'medical marijuana' image | KING5.com Seattle

 

[medMUser]

Not sure what to suggest. I am not for running the dispensaries off. Maybe these folks just need to let the free market work it out. May take longer, but the results are longer lasting. Are they saying the MMJ stores are a hindrance? Perhaps the business peeps are still stick in Reefer Madness & the sex & drugs 'n rock n roll image. How many bars are there in that 'hood? They are much more problematic that MJ stores.

One thing that would help with re-imaging MJ, on the national level, would be for some one to do a show that tells the truth about MMJ & show how dangerous the war on some drugs is. I watched Weeds & movies that portray MJ users as dumb stoners. I was a fan of Cheech & Chong movies also. We know what the movies & show Weeds was about, but 'outsiders' that saw them probably flashed back to the 'old days' & the old propaganda came to mind.

A show that had real life situations, like the mess govts causes medical users who have very serious medical issues by arresting them or portrayals of innocents killed in botched raids or the costs of $$ & human life brought on by the drug war IMO would go a long way to change the old stereotypes.

Also a full length movie about the deceptions of WR Hurst & how he tricked Congress to bring on MJ prohibition & so on would be a great educational tool. Perhaps a take off/re-do of the DVD, Grass, narrated by Woody Harrilson, as a movie, that restates what the DVD says.

As fun as Weeds, Cheech & Chong & some of the other movies may have been, I think it's time for more realistic & serious movies & shows.

If we can get correct info regarding cannabis to the nation some of it has to trickle to the business peeps in Rainier Beach.

mM