SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Two businesses are at odds fighting to stay in the same commercial plaza.
Diamond House Detox is a rehabilitation and substance abuse treatment center located on Bruceville and Valley High in south Sacramento.
They are concerned about a new cannabis retail shop opening so close by.
But the city already approved the dispensary prior to the rehabilitation center opening, according to Sacramento King Equity Venture Inc., and it's a process that takes years plus thousands of dollars.
The retailer is also one of just 10 approved Cannabis Opportunity Investments and Equity programs meant to help those historically disparate of cannabis crimes.
Sacramento city officials began awarding funds to retailers in 2019 under their Cannabis Opportunity Reinvestment and Equity (CORE) grant program.
For Vicky Magobet, the CEO of Diamond House Detox, she is concerned patients having to come by on a regular basis will be triggered by the cannabis store.
“With that population, cannabis is a problem for them - a lot of them are poly-substance (abuse patients) and cannabis would be one of the substances that would be abused," Magobet told ABC10. "So if we are treating someone with a cannabis use disorder, we want to make sure that potential isn’t right next door."
Sacramento King Equity Venture, Inc. CEO La Krisha Young said they had their permit prior to the rehabilitation center moving in, and said there are additional triggers in the plaza such as alcohol at restaurants and pharmacies.
“There is access to a medicine that the community is looking to me at this time to get in a position to be able to feel safe and come and get it from,” said Young.
For the cannabis retailer, it has taken years for the permits to go through and to get approval, but they still haven't opened.
Sacramento King Equity Venture, Inc. have until 2024 to open.
Diamond House Detox say they have no issues with the type of business or owner. This is a land use issue, and they want the city to be involved to help find the dispensary another location and expedite the process.
But the dispensary argues they are under strict guidelines when finding a location and they had prior approval.
Young says she is open to working with Diamond House Detox so they could be a resource for each other and the community together.
This issue will be heard at City Council on Feb. 21.
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