Keeping cannabis under lock and key

Green2Go, a cannabis retailer based in Tri-Cities, is committed to public safety and community engagement. Owners Jessy and Steve Lee also encourage education whenever possible. They feel strongly about eliminating the negative stigma related to cannabis, and see themselves as stewards of the good things marijuana has to offer, particularly when it comes to medicinal use. Their retail cannabis locations in Kennewick and Tokio are considered recreational and medical, and 100% of their budtenders are medically certified. As part of its ongoing dedication to public safety and community involvement, Green2Go recently announced a partnership with the Benton-Franklin Health District and Educational Service District. The goal is to prevent underage cannabis use by distributing free lockboxes or bags for adults to secure their cannabis and other substances to make it difficult for children or pets to access. “We urge consumers to recreate responsibly, and store all cannabis products safely,” said Steve Lee. “And this family safety initiative is right in line with everything we represent at Green2Go.” Mike Mahaffey, Green2Go’s safety manager/medical marijuana consultant, brought the program to Green2Go’s attention after it was piloted in a different town and didn’t work. He felt, with some basic marketing, it could do well at Green2Go. At the same time, local school district employee Bertha Glatt, and Vanessa McCollum, a public health educator from the Benton-Franklin Health District, reached out. Everyone agreed it sounded like a good idea and the program was launched in late October 2019. The lockbox effort has already seen great success. The initial boxes and bags went quickly, and Green2Go has already reordered them a few times. No purchase is necessary to get a box or a locked zipper bag, however only one is provided per household. Recipients are asked to fill out a brief survey and a release form supplied by the health district. “Education is key in minimizing the stigmas surrounding marijuana,” explained Mahaffey. “We teach how to use cannabis safely and responsibly, including how it’s monitored. Educating parents and adult influencers about the importance of preventing youth access to marijuana teaches awareness. Making them more safety conscious.” The Lees have focused on community outreach on their own and through the Green2Go brand. Steve Lee, a member of the Kennewick City Council, recently publicly encouraged individuals and business owners in the area to continue their financial support of a local Renaissance Fair that announced that it needed to shut down due to increasing costs. Last year, he and Jessy also paid more than $10,700 toward the lunch debt of all students in the Columbia School District and the free and reduced lunch debt for all the students in the Kennewick School District. He also invited others in the cannabis industry to support the community and inspire each other to do more. For more information about the lockbox program at Green2Go, call (509) 420-0000, ext. 1. For information about Spokane Regional Health District’s “Weed to Know” program that encourages cannabis caution and safe storage, visit srhd.org/weedtoknow.asp.