Spike In Pot Shop Robberies A 'Massive Public Safety Crisis': LCB

OLYMPIA, WA — A recent spike in pot shop robberies has the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board (LCB) warning of a "massive public safety crisis," and has lawmakers and store owners scrambling to find new ways to protect retail workers and customers alike.

In the first few months of 2022 alone, Washington has seen over 70 robberies at cannabis retail stores, said David Postman, Chair of the LCB Board. For comparison, there were fewer than 50 robberies in all of 2021.

"We could be approaching one a day," Postman said.

Some robberies have turned violent, including a recent spate of robberies which caused three deaths within just four days earlier this month.

The Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board held a roundtable meeting Tuesday, bringing together pot shop owners and state lawmakers to discuss potential solutions to the crisis. The meeting opened with a short tribute to Jordan Brown, a 29-year-old Gig Harbor man who was killed March 20 during a robbery at Tacoma's World of Weed dispensary.

"It's just a total shock for us, after having such a false sense of security," said World of Weed owner Alden Linn. "It's really a blow to the state, the community, the employees in the store."

One reason pot shop stores are such a common target: they have to work in cash. Cannabis is still a Schedule I drug under the standards of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, meaning that banks could be penalized for working with weed dispensaries. Having to do all their dealings in cash, makes those stores a prime target.

"Everybody is extremely on edge," said Jenna Rodrigues co-owner of Chehalis' Gypsy Greens. "It became not 'if this will happen to us' but 'when will this happen to us.'"

Dockside Cannabis founder Aaron Varney took a moment Tuesday to recognize the bravery of frontline workers at cannabis retailers, who have had to endure two years of pandemic and now hurdle another threat to their health and safety.

"It's your care and commitment to the plant and the communities you serve that keep this industry open," Varney said.

At Tuesday's meeting, lawmakers and pot shop owners alike called on the Senate to pass the SAFE Banking Act, which would prohibit federal regulators from penalizing banks that serve legitimate retailers— opening the door for pot shops to switch to safer transactions. Unfortunately for retailers, the act has struggled in the past. The SAFE Banking Act has previously cleared the House of Representatives multiple times, with the latest passage coming this fall, but it has never managed to pass through the Senate, despite drawing broad bipartisan support.

"We have to both demand that congress acts on the SAFE Banking Act, but work as if they're not going to do that," Postman said.

State Sen. Karen Keiser (D-Kent) joined the call to discuss changes that could be made at the state level, like requiring dispensaries to have two-door entry, like banks or other industries at risk of robbery. She also suggested standardized training for pot shop retail workers, and asked the LCB to contact the State Department of Labor & Industries to find an "immediate" solution.

Proposals from pot shop owners were more mixed. World of Weed's Aldon Linn suggested increased police funding, security and other deterrents against threats. Others were hoping for different solutions.

"I would rather not put more guns into an already risky situation," Varney said.

But while there may be minor disagreements about what tact to take, everyone in attendance did agree on one thing: something has to happen, soon.

"Everybody, be safe out there," Linn said.