Anacostia Organics: cannabis with care in the capital

For this mother-daughter duo, cannabis is not just a goods es a carefully curated tool for healing.

Anacostia Organics was opened in 2019 and was the first medical pharmacy east of the Anacostia River in Washington, DC. At a time when most pharmacies planted roots in wealthy districts or behind layers of safety glass, Linda Mercado Greene opted for a shop in Ward 8, one of the most under -supplied DC communities.

It is not a typical pharmacy. Admittedly, Linda is not a typical cannabis entrepreneur. With decades of experience, Capitol Hill, conductive PR companies and advice from the powerful (including Nelson Mandela and Michael Jackson) navigate. The 70-year-old cannabis trail blazer brings both impact and compassion into an industry that is still fighting for legitimacy.

Family ownership and companies

In addition to her daughter Tamia, who acts as director and general manager, Linda created something rare in today's legal weed landscape: a pharmacy in the minority and women's ownership that is not just a place to buy cannabis, but also heard and take care of it.

For this mother-daughter duo, cannabis is not just a goods es a carefully curated tool for healing. The inventory reflects this deliberate approach with attention to terpen profiles and cannabinoid content, even if most DC consumers still buy according to the percentage. “Learn people,” says Tamia. “For a long time, people came in and only asked for a brand – like” I only smoke district -cannabis “,” she recalls. “But they have become more open lately. If we have a little more, trust that our employees recommend something new.”

On the menu: Hyper Local and Medical

For Linda and her team, it is as important to build trust as the products offered. In a city in which many patient-yes, patients, because DC is still a medical market-are seniors who manage chronic diseases, anacostia organics to people with arthritis, cancer and people with several drugs. “Many people want the relief without smoking.” Linda adds.

Tourists who have made it possible to disassemble your need for cannabis yourself, also looking for business, and the Insular DC market means that the menu is only dominated by a handful of DC-licensed cultivating. District grown flower, terpen-rich eating goods, topicals and infused honey honeyhoney are part of the mixture observatory.

It's not easy to be a DC pharmacy

“There is currently a deficiency,” explains Linda. In view of the recent effort to convert the Legacy operator into the legal area, the demand for products has increased without a suitable supply. “The breeders didn't have enough time to prepare for all these new companies that enter the market,” she says. “My share level now fluctuates a little more than before.”

Although the district was one of the earliest jurisdiction on the east coast for the legalization of medical cannabis in 1998, it was confronted with unique challenges in regulating its cannabis industry.

Bottlenecks are not the only hard battle with which DC pharmacy owners are confronted. The struggle for pharmacy owners is further exacerbated by the Federal Tax Code 280E, which prevents cannabis companies like Anacostia Organics from deducting the standard business costs. “Eight and eighty cents of every dollar goes to the IRS,” says Linda. “This is due to 280e. We cannot write down rent, salaries, supply companies.” It is a particularly severe burden in jurisdiction that corresponds to the establishment of the retail infrastructure for the competition with the illegal market.

Although the district was one of the earliest jurisdiction on the east coast for the legalization of medical cannabis in 1998, it was confronted with unique challenges in regulating its cannabis industry. State interventions delayed the implementation of its medical program for more than a decade, and although voters mostly approved the legalization of adult consumption in 2015, the city of the congress prevented the city from establishing a regulated market.

Every year, a driver who was presented by Maryland Congressman Andy Harris – who is known as “Harris Rider” – blocks the district to use local means in order to issue the will of its residents. “Only a member of the congress can stop the whole thing,” says Linda. Without the “DC would have a flourishing adult market that generates ten million income”.

A sanctuary, not just a business

Despite the challenges, Linda keeps pushing forward. From the organization of job fairs and the educational sessions to the organization of the first cannabis podcast, cannabis conversations sponsored by the government, it builds something larger than a pharmacy. “Our motto is that” we are a family, not a factory, “she says.” We hug, we celebrate birthdays, we raise. It's about community, not just about cannabis. “

At Anacostia Organics, the mission goes beyond the sale of cannabis – it is about restoring, building trust and creating space for healing. While the industry in DC still deals with restrictive laws and uncertain access, Linda has made her pharmacy a refuge. The room itself is proof of this intention: warm, inviting, full of plants and original art. Patients are greeted with knowledge and friendliness, not with a bulletproof glass.

“Our motto is that” we are a family, not a factory “. We hug, we celebrate birthdays, we raise ourselves.

Nice Greene market

The team takes time with every person who goes through the door, whether they are looking for pain relief, guidance or just someone who listens without judgment.

How for the future? Linda is considering cultivation, “a kind of vertical integration”. She wants to expand to the south and bring the Anacostia Organics experience into communities that you need. And she wants the legalization of the federal government to finally become a reality. No matter how the business grows, one thing will not change: your commitment to compassion, community and care.

“I think what distinguishes us,” she says, “is that we do not see this plant as a product, but as a tool for healing. And everyone who goes through our doors – no matter where they come from – assures that to feel it.”

Looking for cannabis and community in Washington DC? Buy the Anacostia Organics menu for pick -up to find daily offers and today to provide yourself with all your favorites.