A medical marijuana dispensary in Eugene, Oregon, has survived a push to shut it down under local zoning ordinances.
In April, The Greener Side dispensary was notified that its license was being revoked by the Oregon Health Authority (OHA). Regulators claimed the dispensary was operating within 1,000 feet of a school.
In a letter to the editor published in the Eugene Register Guard, the dispensary’s director, Thomas Burns, argued against the decision, saying the school was not listed in a database provided by the OHA.
The health agency ended up reversing its decision after determining that the school had moved locations.
After fielding claims that a second school was within 1,000 feet of the dispensary, the agency again investigated but determined that the “school” was a nonprofit resource center for children. The agency allowed The Greener Side to keep its license.
In other states, regulators have traditionally taken a heavy-handed approach to school zoning violations. The OHA showed that it is willing to investigate these disputes and not simply revoke a license.
