Jon Johnson File Photo/Gila Herald: Homeless people have reportedly been breaking into the dumpster at the Natural Remedy Patient Center in an ill-informed search for discarded cannabis.
Homeless looking for cannabis in dumpster sorely mistaken
By Jon Johnson
SAFFORD – Rubbish from the Natural Remedy Patient Center at 1362 W. Thatcher Blvd. has been found strewn about a nearby business’ own dumpster, due, most likely, to homeless or ill-informed people searching the dispensary’s trash for discarded cannabis.
Valley Telecom at 1450 W. Thatcher Blvd. and the Natural Remedy Patient Center have both called the police regarding the removal of trash bags from the dispensary’s dumpster. The trash bags have been found ripped open as if someone searched through them.
However, in the event the dispensary has to discard any of its marijuana, it doesn’t simply place it in the trash but instead follows strict protocols set forth by the state.
According to dispensary manager Audry Goss, if they have to dispose of any marijuana, they first douse it with bleach and kitty litter and then transport it back to their grow facility in Prescott, where the workers there take possession of it.
“We have protocols for throwing away marijuana, so there’s not marijuana accessible in the dumpster to anyone,” Goss said.
She advised that they have attempted to lock the dumpster, but people keep prying it open to get at the trash. A surveillance camera is also trained on the dumpster.
Goss said they are working with the city and Vista Recycling to make the dumpster more secure so the trash isn’t removed and discarded inappropriately in the future.
