Mission District Marijuana Dispensary Shut By Feds Reopens

Dispensary shut down by feds in summertime reopeons.

Shambhala Healing Center is back in business, federal Justice Department be darned.

The Mission District medical cannabis dispensary was one of the nine San Francisco medical marijuana clubs that shut down since last Oct. 7, when the United States Justice Department announced a crackdown on California's medical marijuana industry.

Shambhala Healing Center shut down over the summertime, after the local United States attorney mailed the dispensary's landlord a warning letter. The dispensary shut down so that the landlord would not risk losing his building, according to SF Weekly.

But then the crackdown stopped. No more letters were sent out. No more dispensaries shut down. In fact, more opened up. And President Barack Obama was re-elected, and two states votes to legalize marijuana.

All of the city permits were still valid -- the feds' issue was with a closed-down recreational center at a nearby park, something that didn't affect San Francisco city officials -- so the dispensary operator merely opened the doors, turned on the lights, and started business again.

"I just did this to feed my family, to help my employees feed their families," said dispensary operator Al Shawa.

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