SFist: Feds Says There's More Pot than Coffee Here

tedlow

Wed, 10 Dec 2008 23:06:38 -0800

Just read Harmon Leon’s new book, The American Dream: Walking in the Shoes of Carnies, Arms Dealers, Pot Farmers, and Christian Believers. He goes undercover and lives many people perception of the American Dream by walking in their shoes. The funniest chapter by far is when he goes undercover and works on a pot farm in Mendocino. The biggest fear on a pot farm is not being busted by the DEA but robbery. Harmon concluded you could probably rob the pot farm he was on with a pen knife and affected raspy voice. I highly recommend the book. You can check it out here: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1568583524/ref=s9sdps_c1_14_at3-rfc_g1-frt_p-3237_g1_si7?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-3&pf_rd_r=0JNZX0XR42X3VWQYQH0J&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=463383391&pf_rd_i=507846

tedlow

Tue, 25 Nov 2008 13:35:18 -0800

San Francisco I Am has a great video on whether illegal cannabis clubs are really hurting medical marijuana patients with California Attorney General's recent crackdown down on medical cannabis clubs. You can check out the video here: http://www.sanfranciscoiam.com/videos/0faa12024b6c San Francisco Iam also has a lot of other interesting video journalism bringing us stuff that the mainstream media isn’t.

bottombracket

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 11:39:57 -0800

Starbucks should be required to dispense weed in SF.

allhappycowsmoo

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 23:32:20 -0800

"It looks like the Arco at Fell and Divis. sells weed! I guess they need to make up for the falling oil prices somehow." - turtle 276 haha its across the street on the NE corner actually.

jway

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 20:48:08 -0800

this explains all the botched SWAT raids!!

sfrealist

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 19:40:03 -0800

Also, I count only 51 pot dispensaries on their map. (I may be a loser for trying to count them all, but not as much of a loser as the guy at the ONDCP who wastes our tax dollars on this.)

sfrealist

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 19:35:50 -0800

Mattymatt, in addition to shutting down 27 pot clubs (98 to 71) today, they also shut down five Starbucks (from 71 to 66). I'm happy our tax dollars are so well spent.

mattymatt

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 19:01:16 -0800

Oh, they updated the map -- now they say there are only 71 pot clubs, down from 98. Good work, government employees! You closed 27 pot clubs in one day!

manys

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 17:35:59 -0800

Greg brings up a good point: it's not for lack of trying on Starbucks' part.

sfrealist

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 14:31:10 -0800

Dear Chronicle Reporter: You could write about this. Much of the work is already done for you. You would (a) print this map; (b) compare with the NORML map (c) (this is tricky) call up the ONDCP and figure out where they got their data, who came up with it, whether they're interested in correcting something that's simply not true, etc. etc. You can do this. From what I understand, this is called "journalism". As the newspaper of record in this city , you should report on this kind of thing. You're welcome. Or you could write another article about cats.

Greg

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 14:30:32 -0800

It's interesting to hear this meme repeated...the line used to be "we have more pot clubs than McDonalds" now it's "more pot clubs than starbucks." Couldn't one argue that McDonalds' are "bad" since they sell "meat" or something like that? Or that 'Bucks is "bad" since omg they sell "caffiene" and "croissants" full of "butter?" I bet 1 dollar we hear that before COB today. Also, dont forget - you can't open a McDonalds OR a Starbucks in say, North Beach, because they banned all the chain stores there. However, a pot club could open up there (and there's one on Columbus if I'm not mistaken). And if you're a chain store, you can't use plastic bags. If you're a locally owned store, you can. Oh wait, if you're a chain drug store, you can't sell cigarettes, but if you're a corner store, you can sell cigarettes, put them in a plastic bag, and.... And wait, if you run a pot club you have to abide by the same rules as all small business...which means you can sell cigs and use plastic bags...but...zomg the rules! they're so costly! who knew? And down the rabbit hole we go....

sfperson2000

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 14:10:05 -0800

Oh -- I wish we could get a Starbucks -- too bad they are banned in most parts of SF!

sfperson2000

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 14:09:42 -0800

My house is surrounded by Pot Clubs -- most don't draw attention to themselves, so I didn't know a number were there until recently.

TeamAwesome

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 13:42:16 -0800

i want both.

natoma_head

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 13:18:17 -0800

accurate or not, they are correct in 'spirit'. there definitely are way more dispensaries in SoMa than cafes.

salsa

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 13:17:44 -0800

Actual dispensary location map based on the CA NORML dispensary list, updated a few months ago. Conclusion: FEDS LIE.

Doctor Memory

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 12:38:42 -0800

sfrealist: never. Misrepresenting the facts is the ONDCP's job.

sfrealist

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 12:13:06 -0800

I sent them a comment asking about the source of their data and pointing them here. Any bets on when they'll make a correction?

Dead Slow

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 12:12:08 -0800

It looks like there's a green leaf right where the SOMA Costco is located. Buying in bulk saves money, but I don't have space for a 10 kilo package of pot in my apartment.

manys

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 12:07:37 -0800

Heh, the comments are moderated at their "blog."

Doctor Memory

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 12:07:01 -0800

Ah, the ONDCP. It's good to know that even in these troubled times, the ability of ONDCP staffers to lie with impunity is unimpeded.

turtle_276

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 12:00:44 -0800

It looks like the Arco at Fell and Divis. sells weed! I guess they need to make up for the falling oil prices somehow.

sf_bikebike

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 11:56:40 -0800

1. make weed legal. 2. Tax it. 3. Recession over.

what

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 11:54:26 -0800

Since when did the number of Starbucks in a city become a barometer of normalcy? If you don't have enough Starbucks in your city, you're some crazy fucking hippie freakshow?

mattymatt

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 11:53:34 -0800

That would indeed be a troubling statistic if it were true. Fortunately, it is not. For example, the "dispensary" that's pictured in Pacific Heights? Yeah, that's actually a Starbucks.

benmullin333

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 11:50:16 -0800

They are missing the starbucks in Fillmore center too. Or is that a dispensary in disguise?

foghorn

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 11:48:59 -0800

They totally missed out on my local SBux at Divis and Bush. A quick check of the Starbucks store locator site would have solved this problem. How can they expect us to take them seriously?

Ginger

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 11:33:44 -0800

Wow, that map is completely bogus. Are they counting shoes wrapped over power lines or something? There is no dispensary at Hickory and Gough Streets (that's either the International School or an appointment-only hairdresser). There is also NOT a Starbucks at Gough and Market Streets; the two closest locations are Fox Plaza or 9th/Howard.

hudu

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 11:29:58 -0800

Uh, apparently there's a dispensary in my house. I should really talk to my roommates about that.