BY ZAINAB UMMIE SILLAH
On October 18th, Canada legalized recreational marijuana. It’s about time, eh? On that same Wednesday, State Police raided local dispensary Dank’s Wonder Emporium.
Accompanied by the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board, the officers responded to complaints of a possible illegal marijuana smoking club operating at the dispensary. For two years, Chronicast, a member of the High Times podcast family, had been covering the news of Dank’s Wonder Emporium. It is a possibility that Chronicast is also linked to marijuana usage on the premises.
The dispensary was closed for an official search on Wednesday. Enforcement officials confiscated cannabis, paraphernalia and other items from the shop. In addition to the products in the shop, officials confiscated equipment used by Chronicast as a part of the investigation. The Emporium reopened Thursday, October 19th, operating its regular business hours.
Dank’s Wonder Emporium was originally founded in November of 2012, as a medical marijuana collective in Pacific, Washington. Its official website states its aim is, “to provide the best possible medical marijuana to as many Washington patients at the most affordable price possible.” This ongoing goal prompted the collective to apply to the “lottery” for an I-502 retail marijuana establishment license.
Washington voters originally passed I-502 in 2012. The State Liquor Control Board conducted a lottery drawing to determine which establishments would receive recreational retail marijuana licenses. Three members of the collective applied for three licenses out of a total of nine potential lottery slots. The location in Pacific, Washington was the only dispensary granted a license, that was later annulled due to a ban on recreational marijuana in the city. Similarly, in September of 2013, Dank’s owner Random Vaughn, expanded the collective to the city of Auburn. However, the establishment was shut down a few months later due to a city enacted ban on all marijuana collective gardens.
However, members of the collective were not deterred. In April of 2014, Dank’s purchased an existing cannabis collective in Puyallup, Washington. The dispensary was renamed Pacific Green, and underwent remodeling to create a more accessible environment for its customers. Pacific Green of Puyallup was the first store that had a fully functional Dab bar and lounge. Dank’s official website states, “The purpose of the Dab lounge was to provide patients a safe and secure place to consume their medication if for any reason they were unable to safely or securely consume it at their home.”
Owner Random Vaughn purchased another struggling cannabis collective in August of 2014. The location in Spanaway, Washington was remodeled to include a Dab bar and lounge, due to the success of its sister store Pacific Green. The collective then expanded to the city of Tacoma in November of 2014.
Washington state passed SB-502 in April 2015, stating that all medical marijuana collectives and dispensaries were to be shut down as of July 1, 2016 or face felony charges. The state allotted additional recreational retail marijuana licenses in lieu of the closings. Dank’s was granted priority one out of a a three-tier priority list, and would apply to potentially receive three licenses. Dank’s was granted the two locations currently operating in Edmunds and Olympia, where the investigation is taking place.
Dank’s website states, “We [have] fought for safe and local access for patients and now customers since 2012.” The company realizes that they are a part of a growing industry, therefore understands, “additional effort may be required,” in providing customers with high quality products. If it is found that marijuana was indeed used on the premises, Dank’s Wonder Emporium, and its owner Random Vaughn, risk losing operating licenses, and could face criminal charges, according to a spokesperson for the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board.
Investigation is underway, expect updates from the Journal.
