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East Sac Residents Express Concern Over Medical Marijuana Dispensary

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) -- A new medical marijuana shop is now open in East Sacramento.  But, some are expressing safety concerns because it's right next to a residential neighborhood.

"My concern is safety in the neighborhood," says one East Sacramento resident.

A sign hasn't been put up on the business yet, but the inside is "The Healing Center," which is a medical marijuana dispensary which recently relocated to Folsom Blvd. near 33rd Street.

The dispensary is next door to several businesses and is only a couple of hundred feet away from a residential neighborhood.

"There are kids, there's all sorts of things going on and people walking around," says Peggy Orr.

And it's for that reason Orr, owner of the Pink House, doesn't believe the dispensary is the right fit for the area.

"My only concern is we have such a great corridor with nice places to eat; it's just not an appropriate venue," says Orr.

But not all business owners agree.

"What he does in his own business is the American way and it's legal," says D. Neath of Archival Framing.

Justin, one of the owners of the Healing Center, says his shop is licensed and legal, and the last thing he wants is to bring crime to the area.

"The whole stigma about people smoking outside, smoking inside is just no, we don't condone that," Justin explains.

Justin says his business is just like any other, it's just what they offer that makes some people uncomfortable.

"Our intentions of coming here is not to bring in any bad type of energy or any bad type of crowd, it's to bring more business," Justin tells CBS13.

The dispensary serves about 350 customers, and is currently by appointment only, but will soon operate seven days a week.

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