Washington, D.C
DC cracks down on 'gifting' weed shops in massive sweep
Fifth illegal cannabis shop shut down in DC
Another illegal cannabis shop was shut down and raided on Wednesday, the fifth closure since a new law passed by the D.C. Council has been enforced in recent weeks. FOX 5’s Homa Bash has the story.
WASHINGTON – For years, unlicensed cannabis shops in D.C. operated under the guise of “gifting” marijuana, but in the past six months, officials have shut down 25 for illegal sales and safety violations.
DC cannabis crackdown
The backstory:
The Office of the Attorney General, in collaboration with the Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Administration and the Metropolitan Police Department, targeted businesses operating outside the law, many of which were found selling cannabis products laced with other narcotics.
“For too long, unlicensed cannabis stores have been illegally selling unregulated, untested products that put District residents’ safety at risk,” AG Schwalb said in a press release. “All so-called ‘gifting shops’ were given ample time to apply for legal medical marijuana licenses, but many failed or refused to do so.”
Authorities have taken enforcement action against 38 businesses, permanently shutting down a majority while bringing others into compliance. During the investigations, officials seized illegal drugs, weapons, and large sums of cash.
In one case, an unlicensed retailer was found selling cannabis contaminated with amphetamines and psilocybin.
Debate continues in DC over establishment of recreational marijuana market
Another raid led to the recovery of over 35 pounds of cannabis flower, 22 pounds of THC edibles, 6 pounds of psilocybin mushrooms, 2 pounds each of cocaine and methamphetamine, a firearm, and $6,817 in cash. Officers also recovered ten dogs from the property.
The crackdown follows a 2023 law passed by the D.C. Council expanding the medical cannabis system and providing a legal path for illicit businesses to enter the regulated market.
Despite these opportunities, many unlicensed operators continued selling cannabis illegally, prompting the District to ramp up enforcement.
Illegal weed shops raided
Big picture view:
Since July 2024, ABCA has issued cease-and-desist orders to non-compliant businesses.
The first store to be forcibly closed under the new law, Supreme Terpene, was shut down in September 2024. Since then, enforcement operations have shuttered numerous shops across the city, including Green Cloud Shop, Capitol Budz, and District Smoke Shop.
Some locations have reopened as non-cannabis businesses, while others have permanently closed.
Recent closures also highlight continued risks associated with illegal cannabis sales.
Officials raided The Green Room in September, marking the fifth closure under the new law’s enforcement.
Then, in November, Peace in the Air, another unlicensed retailer, was forced to close after violating a cease-and-desist order.
ABCA and MPD shut down All the Buzz DC on Georgia Avenue NW in December, citing public health concerns.
Schwalb emphasized that the District remains committed to holding illegal operators accountable and ensuring that only licensed, regulated businesses sell cannabis products.
“We are demonstrating our collective commitment to ensuring that every store selling cannabis products in the District complies with the law and plays by the rules,” he said.
Which DC dispensaries have closed?
· Supreme Terpene: 1344 U Street NW
· Green Cloud Shop: 706 Kennedy Street NW
· All American Papers: 504 H Street NE
· Farmerz/Stonerz: 3236 Prospect Street NW
· The Green Room/Flight Pass: 1338 U Street NW
· In the Cut: 1460 Park Road NW
· Capitol Budz: 607 Pennsylvania Avenue SE
· Coupons R Us: 6234 Georgia Avenue NW
· Kaliiva: 1731 Columbia Road NW
· Peace in the Air: 2118 18th Street NW
· Promoco LLC: 1813 18th Street NW
· CBT LLC: 335 H Street NE
· LifeLuxee/Cannabis Karma: 825 Upshur Street NW
· All the Buzz: 3232 Georgia Avenue NW
· KAE/Green Department: 2720 Georgia Avenue NW
· Capital THC: 1123 Pennsylvania Avenue SE
· Hidden Gym, LLC: 1508 14th Street NW*
· Forest Floor: 924 5th Street NW
· Pride Smoke Shop: 1502 21st Street NW
· YouGroGurl: 337 H Street NE
· VIP Clientele: 3551 Georgia Avenue NW*
· Power Night Club: 2335 Bladensburg Road NE*
· Dreams Smoke Shop: 2335 18th Street NW*
· Nomad Smoke Shop: 2026 Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue SE*
· District Smoke Shop/District Cure: 2626 Georgia Avenue NW**
* Reopened as a mon-cannabis retailer
** Licensed facility remains open; unlicensed second floor unit closed
The Source: DC Office of the Attorney General
WASHINGTON (DC News Now) — A Texas man accused of shooting at a United States Secret Service agent near the Washington Monument earlier this month has been indicted on federal charges, the Justice Department announced Friday.
A federal grand jury indicted 45-year-old Michael Marx with “assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers using a dangerous weapon” and “using, carrying, possessing, brandishing, and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence,” in connection with the May 4 incident, in which a stray bullet struck a teenage bystander.
“Today’s indictment reflects the gravity of the defendant’s actions on one of the most heavily visited public spaces in the nation,” U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro said Friday, in part. “The evidence shows Marx not only carried an illegal firearm into DC, but he fired it at uniformed officers, wounding an innocent teenage bystander who was simply visiting the National Mall with his family on a spring afternoon.”
Authorities previously charged Marx with assaulting federal officers with a dangerous weapon, using and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence, and unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
According to court documents, an undercover Secret Service agent initially noticed Marx trying to conceal a gun on the right side of his body near 15th Street and Madison Drive NW shortly after 3:30 p.m. on the afternoon of the shooting.
At the same time, the motorcade for Vice President J.D. Vance was leaving the White House, passing through the area just up the street.
Uniformed Secret Service officers arrived to provide backup, finding Marx along the path of Vance’s motorcade. The attorney’s office said officers began to give the Texas man verbal commands, but he started running through a crosswalk and eventually fired at one of the agents as he reached the sidewalk.
The bullet struck the teenage bystander, who was walking behind the agent, in the leg, according to the DOJ.
Agents quickly returned fire, striking Marx in the hand, left arm, and upper body, according to court documents.
Court documents state that agents used Marx’s Texas driver’s license, which he was carrying, to identify him as the gunman. Investigators also identified various aliases Marx allegedly went by, including Patrick Michael and Michael Zavici.
While in the hospital, he allegedly made statements to officers, including ”F— the White House,” and “kill me, kill me, kill me,” the DOJ noted in a release.
Police found a Sig Sauer P365 handgun loaded with 9mm ammunition from the street where Marx fell.
4 things to know about the weather:
- Abundant sunshine
- Temps slightly cooler than average
- No rain in sight — again
- Mid-week warmup
May is drawing to a dry, comfortable close, in stunning contrast to the very soggy Memorial Day weather we saw last weekend.
That 10-day stretch of rain put a definite dent in our drought, according to the weekly national drought monitor, but it seems that was the end of the improvement for a while: There’s almost no clouds in sight for the DMV for several days.
Enjoy the many hours of sunshine on Saturday. The high pressure coming in from the Hudson Bay brings a stiff north wind, but the day will also be sunny and comfortable, with highs in the mid 70s.
Download the NBC Washington app on iOS and Android to check the weather radar on the go.
The wind will die down after dark, and Sunday morning will be bordering on chilly. Expect widespread mid/upper 40s in most of the D.C. area, with urban centers and bayside communities staying just above 50°. Sunday afternoon will be just a bit warmer, in the mid 70s, but with far less of a breeze.
Highs will be back around 80° for Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, with overnight lows in the comfy 50s. It’ll be a perfect start to meteorological summer (June/July/August).
QuickCast
TODAY:
Sunshine Abounds, Breezy
Wind: North 10-15mph, Gust to 25 mph
Chance of Rain: 0%
HIGHS: 70° to 75°
TONIGHT:
Clear Skies
Winds Diminish
Wind: Northwest 10-15 mph
Chance Of Rain: 0%
LOWS: 46° to 54°
SUNDAY:
Mostly Sunny Skies
Pleasant Conditions
Light Breeze
Wind: NW 5 – 10 mph
Chance of Rain: 0%
HIGHS: 70° to 76°
MONDAY:
Partly Cloudy
Seasonable
Light Breeze
Wind: West/Northwest 10 mph
Chance of Rain: 0%
HIGHS: 76° to 82°
Sunrise: 5:45 Sunset: 8:26
Average High: 80° Average Low: 63°
Stay with Storm Team4 for the latest forecast. Download the NBC Washington app on iOS and Android to get severe weather alerts on your phone.
WASHINGTON – A man is in critical condition after falling into the Anacostia River in Southwestern Washington, D.C., Friday night.
What we know:
D.C. Fire and EMS reported the rescue effort shortly after 10 p.m. at James Creek Marina in Buzzard Point.
Crews believe a man fell from the dock into the water.
By 10:30 p.m., crews were able to pull the man out of the water.
Paramedics took him to the hospital in critical condition.
What we don’t know:
Officials did not identify the man who was rescued. No other information was immediately available.
The Source: Information in this story is from the D.C. Fire and EMS Department.
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