The phrase "the security at these marijuana dispensaries are tighter than Fort Knox" is hyperbole and not helpful for policymakers with the responsibility of making consequential decisions of great magnitude. This statement only stretches the truth as no single mind-altering marijuana dispensary is sitting on one-hundred thousand acres, supplied with its own emergency power plant, nor equipped with forty thousand troops guarding its vaults with doors weighing twenty-tons like Fort Knox.
I want to remind you in my earlier presentation, I did state that Standard Wellness CEO Jared Maloof admitted in 2023 testimony to the Ohio Senate that marijuana operators in his industry do supply the Black Market. This same CEO who was prevented by Bellville Village Council from bringing a dispensary to town, was in a Cleveland tradeshow last March 2024 on a panel with former Ancient Roots CEO David Haley, who had his state license revoked in 2022 for giving out free samples of medical marijuana products to non-medical
marijuana users. Haley also falsified data in his company’s inventory system by
reporting the marijuana given out was still in the company’s processing store. https://cannabis.net/blog/news/get-your-free-weed-samples-here-how-one-ceo-lost-his-job-by-giving-away-free-cannabis-samples
Based on some of the incidents below, these mind-altering marijuana dispensaries do not appear to be "as secure as Fort Knox," in some cases they appear to be more like a house of cards...
In July 2020, Adam Kastor,
Manager of National Operations with Bloom Medicinals marijuana dispensary in Ohio had his
Key Employee License revoked (Case Number A-2019-0533) for
falsifying transactions. (PP.75-76) https://www.pharmacy.ohio.gov/documents/pubs/minutes/2020/202007%20-%20july%20meeting%20minutes%20.pdf
In November 2021, Christopher Jaroscak from
the marijuana dispensary ‘The Botanist,’ in Canton, Ohio had his Pharmacy
license revoked for making THC-laced gummy bears and giving them to 4
coworkers. Christopher Jaroscak acknowledged he had become dependent on
marijuana and admitted to using marijuana to relieve anxiety, even though he
was not a registered medical marijuana patient. https://akronlegalnews.com/editorial/31135 https://www.morningjournal.com/2021/11/01/mje-l-pharmacist-suspension-1102/
In July 2020, Benjamin
Rosanswank had his pharmacy license revoked (Case Number A-2019-0519) by the
Ohio Board of Pharmacy for the theft of several marijuana plants, 5 pounds of
marijuana packaged in sealed bags, equipment used to extract THC, and equipment
used to manufacture and cultivate marijuana.
The Columbus native admitted to cultivating and trafficking marijuana
beginning in August 2018 (PP. 12-16) https://www.pharmacy.ohio.gov/documents/pubs/minutes/2020/202007%20-%20july%20meeting%20minutes%20.pdf
In addition, we are seeing a spike in burglaries of mind-altering marijuana dispensaries in California, especially the Bay Area https://www.kcrw.com/news/shows/greater-la/weed-gaza-hammer/cannabis-robberies A growing trend of dispensary break-ins classified as "Smash and Grabs" are occurring where stolen vehicles are being used to forcefully gain entry into the buidlings and the businesses are then burglarized. https://www.asisonline.org/security-management-magazine/articles/2024/04/cannabis/alarming-trends-in-cannabis-crime/ Tighter than Fort Knox? Even with all the cameras, we are still seeing marijuana escape the premises and likely being illegally diverted to children and the addicted.
For your information, I have attached incident reports for: a theft at a Dayton dispensary involving $300 of marijuana flowers & edibles by an employee, a theft at a Dayton dispensary involving $80 worth of prescribed marijuana by a security guard, a theft at a Dayton dispensary involving $50 worth of marijuana vape cartridges by an employee, and a theft at a Sandusky dispensary involving $261
worth of marijuana and associated paraphernalia from a locked dumpster by unknown persons.
It is my firm belief that the marijuana industry is strongly associated with corruption. Where corruption prevails, justice will not coexist. Just look at one of the most secure locations in the nation: across the hall from the White House Situation Room, cocaine was found in 2023 and the U.S. Secret Service closed its investigations due to "lack of evidence." This same corruption will likely happen in Mifflin Township if a mind-altering marijuana dispensary is allowed to open. A secure chain is only as strong as its weakest link.
May GOD grant you wisdom as you make your vote Monday evening. Please prohibit mind-altering marijuana, it brings out the worst in people. Respectfully,
