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Leisure World "Cannabis 101" club is a back door business front
LW senior resident "Cannabis 101" club is a back door business front for Mission dispensary
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The concept of a medical marijuana club is acceptable when the sole purpose is to be an unbiased information clearing house.
The entity established in Leisure World Maryland, does not fulfill that goal.
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Without seeking consultation, review or with LW Health Advisory Committee knowledge, the Leisure World "Cannabis 101" club application was approved by the E&R Advisory Committee on 11/6/18.
As such, the E&R Department Director failed to adhere to the LWCC rule for establishing new clubs:
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d. The E&R Department will direct controversial requests to the General Manager and/or concerned committees. As appropriate, the request will then be forwarded to the Leisure World Community Corporation Board of Directors.
If the appropriate committee had been consulted, information that "Cannabis 101" is a front for the Mission Dispensary would have been brought to light.
On 9/21/18 the LW News published an article authored by Carminetta Verner re: a 9/21/19 forum titled: "Everything you ever wanted to ask about marijuana -identifying the speakers as Dr. Patricia Frye - and Dawn Marie Merrill - operator - Mission Dispensary.
On 11/6/18 the LW E&R Committee approved Verner's "Cannabis 101" club application.
On January 12, 2019 the first "Cannabis 101" organizational meeting was held - Carminetta Verner presiding. Previously prepared bylaws and the slate of officers were presented - the Advisory Board members announced as: Dr. Patricia Frye and Dawn Marie Steenstra, LPN, SDC, QA.- co-founder of Premium Medicine and co-owner of the Silver Spring dispensary. According to their by-laws, the Advisory Board are to "make suggestions and plans for the overall program of the club."
When asked if other local dispensaries such as "Liberty" would be invited to speak to the club, Verner's response was a resounding "no".
Paula Querido Kahn, the daughter of a LW resident attended the meeting with her mother. Graciously offering her services without charge as an occupational therapist and a trained patient liaison knowledgeable in matching patients with the strains that best treat their particular symptoms, she left the room in tears after Ms.Verner humiliated her from the lectern, saying that her services were not needed - stating: "we have our own".
At that meeting, Ms. Verner was asked what her connection is with "Mission" - Verner identified herself as a "Mission" patient/client.
In February, 2019, after being informed that Verner wrote: "I realize that a lot of money can be made from selling cannabis products to Leisure World. I’ve had most of the dispensary reps to contact me. Each one was asked to submit in writing what they could offer our club",
When advised of her statements, Rabbi James Kahn, Director of the Liberty Dispensary in Rockville, Md. wrote:
"Carminetta has never asked me to submit anything to her, in writing or otherwise. Her statement reads as if she asked dispensaries for specific discounts for club members and vets. This is not true of Liberty. She did ask me (months ago) if I could arrange a tour of our cultivation center. After telling her I wasn’t able to do so (we were under a strict contaminate watch at the time), all communication ceased. Also note that Liberty did not request an exclusive partnership of any kind. In fact, I have never spoken with Carminetta about the Club, outside of her direct request for a tour. "
Rabbi James Kahn, twice sent emails congratulating the LW "Cannabis 101 club" and the LW BOD:
"I would love the opportunity to speak with Club members about cannabis and the older adult, along with any other issue that matters to them. The last address I gave at Leisure World was attended by more than 150 residents and was well received. I would love to continue the conversation.
PS – While I wasn’t able to arrange for a group tour of our grow, I may be able to arrange for our lab manager (who is a phenomenal scientist with a history in cancer research) or even our head grower. We can discuss when we next talk."
He and his offer were ignored without any reply by club president Carminetta Verner.
Althought extraordinarily well funded by 4Front Holding, LLC, "Mission Dispensary" would not be able to rent space in LW because of the Federal marijuana laws.
We are witnessing their back door entry into LW through the "Cannabis 101" club front.
The multitudes of the medical pot club articles -(majority of which are blatant advertisements for "Mission") are accompanied by full page Mission Dispensary advertisements. The LW News Editor, who also wears the hat of E&R Director, is responsible for not mentioning/directing the club application to the other "concerned committee" - LW Health Advisory Committee, (the most highly credentialed and professionally seated advisory committee in LW).
Wonder where they got the club name? Mission's website provides further insight - https://missiondispensaries.com/getting-started/
Cannabis 101
(sound familiar?)
Mission, the national retail brand of 4Front Holding, LLC is registered with the State of Maryland as Premium Medicine of Maryland, LLC (dba Mission Wheaton).
SILVER SPRING, Md., Oct. 23, 2018 — 4Front Holdings, LLC (“4Front”), a leading retail and brand development company in the U.S. cannabis sector, today announced that it’s opened a new Mission™ dispensary in Silver Spring, Maryland.
The Silver Spring location is the first Mission dispensary in Maryland, and is the result of a recently established licensing relationship between Premium Medicine of Maryland, a state-licensed medical cannabis dispensary, and Mission. Mission is the national retail brand of 4Front.
https://egov.maryland.gov/BusinessExpress/EntitySearch/BusinessInformation/W16835779
Premium Medicine of Maryland, LLC
(dba Mission Wheaton) (Montgomery County)
License No.: D-18-00044
12355 Georgia Avenue
Silver Spring, MD 20906
Department ID Number: W16835779
Business Name: PREMIUM MEDICINE OF MARYLAND, LLC: W16835779
“I’m excited to bring Mission’s premiere patient experience platform to serve Maryland patients,” said Dawn Marie Steenstra, co-founder of Premium Medicine and co-owner of the Silver Spring dispensary.
Jenny Einsig, the General Manager of Mission’s Silver Spring dispensary said: “We are located amidst one of the largest veteran populations in the country, down the road from one of the nation’s largest senior living communities (Leisure World), --"
"4Front operates its dispensaries in Illinois, Maryland, and Pennsylvania under the Mission brand, --"
About 4Front:
4Front Holdings, LLC ("4Front") is a leading retail and brand development company in the U.S. cannabis sector. It has developed a national platform that consists of a multi-state footprint, including its Mission-branded retail operations, and a far-reaching network of partnership relationships.