Tuesday, March 11, 2014

Just In Time For Marijuana Decriminalization: H Street's First Paraphernalia Shop

IMG_0018[1]

Island Dyes (331 H Street) has all the inventory one could imagine H Street might need in the area of tie-dyed T-shirts and glass pipe smokers' paraphernalia.

Although I'm not the target market for this particular shop, it certainly adds to the retail diversity on the strip. And Giant is conveniently located across the street for any Island Dyes customer who has the "munchies"*. What do you think of the newest arrival on the strip? They apparently plan to open in April.

* I'm sure there's also a wide variety of non-green smoking options available to utilize the pipes they sell (designed for smoking tobacco assuredly - wink, nudge), including using them as lovely home decor options.

Update: The Post reported this evening that the Board of Elections has agreed to allow legalization organizers to collect the 25,000 signatures necessary to get a marijuana legalization initiative on the ballot this November.

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

It's not for me but as you say, good retail diversity. What I don't understand is how this shop will be able to open-- the other head shops in DC have been forced to close. I wonder if these guys know what they are getting into.

Anonymous said...

my thoughts exactly. i thought head shops were illegal in dc. funny how this is going to be right next to a child care center

h st ll said...

Now that it will soon be decriminalized inside your home I am sure the business will be fine.

Unknown said...

these guys don't miss a beat. viva retail diversity!

Dave said...

There was a DC cop standing in front of the place last night around 7:30, seemed to be jotting down notes and talking to someone over his walkie-talkie.

Anonymous said...

I think it's still an if on the decriminalization, no? If I recall correctly, it still needs to get through the Mayor and the United States Congress.

I don't know the Mayor's perspective all that well. And I am frankly not certain it would resonate with his largest block of voters (older, African American women).

I know that if there is any hurdle, it's Congress. And my gut tells me it will not pass. But what do I know...

Anonymous said...

Gray has already indicated he will sign the decriminalization bill, signed last week. Congress then has a window--90 days, I believe--in which they could affirmatively block it, but there is no way they will do that. It's not an "if" on decriminalization, it's a "when," and the answer to that question looks an awful lot like mid-June.

Anonymous said...

typo in the comment above: "signed last week" should be "passed by the Council last week"

Anonymous said...

hope they sell whippets!

poo poo said...

uh.. there's a headshop on m street in georgetown.

what's the problem?

Mikeindc said...

The hemp store n H was closed down. One can assume this store will suffer the same fate.

Anonymous said...

"Congress then has a window--90 days, I believe--in which they could affirmatively block it, but there is no way they will do that."

How so? Although the issue is decriminalization and not wholesale legalization, it seems many Congressmen would be reluctant to render a position on the issue altogether. I know historically they have not meddled in District matters, but marijuana is one where they may engage.

Anonymous said...

@10:27, you're right that "many Congressmen would be reluctant to render a position on the issue altogether," which is precisely why they won't meddle. Congress will not bring it to a vote--they virtually never do bring DC statutes to a vote, it becomes law if Congress does nothing. And if there's one thing the current Congress is exceptional at, it's doing nothing.

It seems from several of the posts that people think this needs to "pass" Congress, but that's wrong. If Congress does nothing, it passes. Congress would have to affirmatively act to block it. And as for why that won't happen, it's tough to browbeat the point and say there's no way Congress blocks it.

Anonymous said...

Changes to the DC criminal code trigger a 60 day congressional review period; 30 days for changes to other DC laws, 45 days for charter amendment. Congress can and does regularly interfere with local affairs, generally by tacking riders onto appropriations bills or continuing resolutions. In 1998, Congress prevented the District from counting the votes on DC's medicaid marijuana Initiative 59 until a federal judge ordered their release.

Anonymous said...

Congress hasn't invalidated a DC law in over 20 years. They don't regularly interfere either, your example was an instance of them making a symbolic gesture when everybody knew it wouldn't stand a Home Rule Act challenge. True, they then wouldn't let DC spend any money to implement medical marijuana programs--an appropriations rider--but that wouldn't be effective to block a decriminalization law. (Also, there aren't as many drug warriors in the Republican ranks as their used to be).

It's tough to prove Congress won't do anything until it happens, but it's not happening (the most I could imagine is some rider that says DC can't spend any federal subsidies on decriminalization, and the rider would be easy to get around).

pat said...

to do a legislative veto, don't the house and senate need to agree to it and reid doesn't like Boehner.

plus there is no initiative to override.

the Dems don't mind and the libertarian GOP
(Rand Paul) are very split on the drug war
compared to the rest of the fundies

Anonymous said...

Ive been to the og island dyes store in kill devil hills, this store wont get shut down, 100% legal. These guys are cool af