Two Days Until Hearing
Dear Friends & Neighbors,
There are 2 days left until the public hearing this Thursday, 2/2, at 1pm. Please click here for the meeting agenda and details regarding how to attend. If you scroll down the agenda, you will see that on page 7 the hearing for the Gold Mirror cannabis dispensary (aka Green Mirror) is scheduled to begin at 2pm. It is the last item to be discussed before adjournment.
This is a hybrid meeting.
In-person:
Meeting will be held in Commission Chambers, Room 400 City Hall, 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place.
On-line:
Call-in +1-415-655-0001
Access Code 2480 349 2149
Password 0202
WebEx Link: https://sfgov.webex.com/sfgov/j.php?MTID=m478f41615c379c8651d78ae566ff5d8f
Opposition points to make during the hearing:
1) Why is our city ok with being a legalized drug pusher and promoting the sale and use of cannabis in the midst of an opioid epidemic? Even the CDC admits marijuana is a gateway drug to opioids, such as fetanyl, which is 50-100 times stronger than morphine, and is currently ravaging our streets and neighborhoods. Recently, a 10-month old child accidentally ingested fetanyl while playing at the Moscone Park playground with his nanny.
2) Why is it ok for the city to sell edible cannabis, such as candy, cookies, and chocolates in child-centric communities, while the SF-based company JUUL was closed down by the FDA for essentially doing the same thing with flavored vape products? Why the double standard when there is over 1,300% increase in nationwide calls to poison control centers for children ingesting these edibles? Children are even overdosing and dying. Who is accountable for this? No amount of security placed outside the Green Mirror can prevent this alarming trend, because children are ingesting the edibles inside their own homes. Children, especially toddlers, cannot distinguish between safe candy and edibles.
3) How many cannabis dispensaries (brick & mortar and delivery) are already in existence and why are there no plans by the city to cap their number? The market is already saturated and they are cannibalizing one another's businesses.
4) What about the ensuing crime and negative impact on brain development and IQ levels for kids and teens, which is affecting the standard and quality of education in our city?
5) There is a much higher concentration of minors who congregate near the intersection of 18th Ave & Taraval St than do at the corner of Ivy & Gough in Hayes Valley, where the Fig & Thistle is located. (The Fig & Thistle owners partnered with the Gold Mirror owners to open the Green Mirror.) To compare the two locations and assume the Green Mirror will be successful like its sister dispensary, the Fig & Thistle, is a fallacy.
6) Why aren't the board of supervisors supporting the residents and speaking out against the Green Mirror, when there is clear evidence that it's dangerous and irresponsible to expose our youth to the cavalier use of cannabis (the same goes for alcohol). For example, when one of our members raised these concerns to former D4 Supervisor Gordon Mar at a neighborhood event last year, he simply replied that he was more worried about screen addiction with our youth than he was with cannabis addiction. This dismissive attitude is pervasive among our city officials.
7) Our FOPSWP community has submitted almost 1,300 signatures, a formal letter from the Greater West Portal Neighborhood Association (GWPNA), multiple letters from businesses and residents, and local media coverage to the planning commissioners, all of which strongly oppose the Green Mirror, yet our officials, such as D7 Supervisor Melgar, refuse to comment or meet with us.
8) Why wasn't the public hearing notice delivered to all neighbors within a 300 foot radius per the good neighbor policy? It seems only some of the businesses and residents received the notice.
9) Our elderly are clearly afraid to leave their homes and cross the street at 18th & Taraval due to the nature of the busy intersection. The Green Mirror will only worsen the traffic situation and elderly who live nearby will be reluctant to venture outside their own homes.
10) Why is the Green Mirror planning to operate from 10am to 10pm daily? This is much longer than the hours of operation for the Gold Mirror restaurant, which primarily opens for dinner and closes on Mondays and Tuesdays.
Lastly, San Franciscans are sick and tired of open air drug markets, legalized cannabis dispensaries, increasing number of drug addicts and homeless population, and most of all, the indifference of our city officials who turn a blind eye to these problems and refuse to do anything. Where is the accountability? We demand answers to our questions.
Please plan to attend the hearing and voice your opposition. If you have any question or comments, please feel free to let us know at fopswp@gmail.com.
Thank you and we look forward to seeing you on Thursday!
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