The D.C. Council on Tuesday voted against imposing harsh penalties meant to put marijuana “gifting” shops out of business, with opponents of the bill saying they wanted more hearings on the issue.
“Gifting” businesses have proliferated, with storefronts selling a product like a T-shirt or pencil that comes with a gift of marijuana — a practice that grew up in the District after recreational marijuana use and possession were legalized in 2014, while legal sales remain prohibited in the city by Congress.
The council’s consideration of the bill on Tuesday had alarmed many of the proprietors and patrons of those shops, which faced steep civil fines under the proposed legislation that they said could have put them out of business.
Since the council proposed the bill as emergency legislation, it would have required nine votes to pass, but only got eight, with five members voting against it.
“If we shut down the brick-and-mortar shops, it’s just going to go to a delivery service … which is going to make it even harder for us to solve the problems” associated with quasi-legal gifting businesses, said Elissa Silverman (I-At Large), who opposed the bill.
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