Feeding the Needy for Free Pot

Who would have thought that getting people to give would be a simple matter of offering them a free joint? Granny Purps in California did. In an effort to raise food for Second Harvest Food Banks the medical marijuana dispensary offered patrons a free marijuana cigarette if they brought in four cans of non-perishable food items.

Granny Purps decided to do what many other establishments do when they want to boost sales and fund raise, they offered free stuff. It just happens that the free stuff they are offering is marijuana, a drug that has been deemed legal for medicinal use in California but which the federal government still says is illegal.

During the food drive at Granny Purps, patients of the medical marijuana dispensary donated 11,000 lbs of food which will go to Second Harvest Food Banks. Second Harvest is the primary source for donated, surplus, and purchased food for non-profit organizations in the are of San Mateo and Santa Clara counties in California. The organization gives to over 200,000 people each month. Granny Purps handed out 2,000 joints to its customers for the donations they made to Second Harvest.

It seems that the establishment and Second Harvest have both made out during a time when donations are short. Danny Kieth, chief development and technology officer at Second Harvest, told the Santa Cruz Sentinel, "Businesses like these fill half our coffers. There are some big contributors, a handful of them, but these food drives from small businesses and other groups really do a lot. With everything going on in terms of the economy, it's definitely tighter out there. It has been a rough year for everyone, and to have new businesses like Granny Purps pitching in is great."

Granny Purps is planning other giving back activities that will involve the community they live in and the goodwill of their patrons. Owner Nancy Black said,"We are planning to organize a beach cleanup in January and have a promotion associated with it, but we haven't finalized anything yet."

Granny Purps sells more than just medical marijuana in tinctures, elixirs and concentrates. They have entered the frontier of the medical marijuana food market by selling fudge, cookies, brownies, ice cream and even cheesecake. All made with variations of hash.

Sources:
Second Harvest Food Bank
Santa Cruz Sentinel