A MEDICAL marijuana dispensary called TerraVida Holistic Centers is being proposed for my neighborhood, and I’m not pleased. Not only because the process allowed the community to be caught off guard, but also because the politics surrounding the venture are unseemly, at best.
That’s because Chris Visco – one of the partners seeking to open the dispensary on Stenton Avenue near Allens Lane – managed political campaigns for State Rep. Chris Rabb and State Sen. Art Haywood. The proposed location for the dispensary is within each of their respective legislative districts. They are districts where I happen to live.
One could see how a constituent might wonder about a politically connected applicant seeking to open a controversial medical-marijuana dispensary in a neighborhood represented by the politicians for whom she worked.
In a neighborhood like East Mount Airy, where we’re losing elected officials to corruption, fighting the creeping scourge of crime and combating an endless stream of unwanted facilities, our political representatives must serve the people. They must answer every question, allay every concern, and battle alongside their constituents.
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Photo: Medical Marijuana. By Thomas Hawk/ Flickr Creative Commons
Solomon Jones is an Essence bestselling author and award-winning columnist. He is the creator and editor of Solomonjones.com and morning host on 900 am WURD radio. Click here to learn more about Solomon.
