This story has been updated. See: Brotherton’s Business Cited 8 Times for Illegal Conduct
Notice something missing from the sign over Greg Brotherton’s business?
Our complaint to the Liquor and Cannabis Board is producing results. Greg Brotherton has been found in violation of advertising regulations by posting an illegal cannabis ad on a business not licensed to sell marijuana.
On September 19, 2018, we filed a detailed complaint to the Washington agency that regulates marijuana retail businesses. We reported what we believed to be clear violations of regulations on how a marijuana business is permitted to advertise and promote its products. Our concern was with how Brotherton had broken rules to appeal to underage users and had posted a cannabis ad on a business not licensed to sell marijuana.
You can read the full article and complaint at this link.
For years, Brotherton’s Discovery Bay Village Store had advertised cannabis along with groceries and youth entertainment. This is what his store looked like when we filed our complaint.
Discovery Bay Store
The LCB investigated our complaint and found Brotherton’s sign to be illegal.
This is what that same storefront looks like now as the result of our complaint. Notice what has been painted over.
The regulations Brotherton had been violating for years are, as our complaint pointed out, quite clear. We alerted Brotherton before filing our complaint but he neither responded nor took corrective action. Only after the LCB found a violation did he act.
Brotherton portrayed buying illegal marijuana in his movie
Other aspects of our complaint are still pending and under investigation. We have alleged that a promotional video sponsored by Brotherton’s business in which he is depicted purchasing illegal marijuana violates the terms of his license because (1) it in several ways directly appeals to youth and children and (2) illegally makes promises about the therapeutic effects of marijuana. We will continue to urge the LCB to act.
Our first report on Brotherton’s business found many reasons for concern about the way Brotherton promoted marijuana and was contributing to the severe teenage marijuana use problem in Jefferson County. Our kids use marijuana at rates 76% higher than neighboring counties and well above the state average.
You can read that first report by clicking here.
Since then, our concerns have been confirmed by the action of the LCB and Brotherton’s recent opposition to child marijuana safety measures, which Scott Hogenson covered in this article.
So far, Brotherton has racked up four violations in connection with his marijuana business, including two citations last year for serving underage customers. Those violations are discussed in the article about the filing of our complaint with the LCB.
Update: A second look at LCB records found that Greg Brotherton’s business racked up twice as many violations as we initially reported. See Scott Hogenson’s report at this link.
Since this report, the LCB has re-examined the Sea Change Cannabis “stoner movie” and found it does not violate advertising regulations, but has cautioned Mr. Brotherton of community concerns about the video’s content.
Jim Scarantino was the editor and founder of Port Townsend Free Press. He is happy in his new role as just a contributor writing on topics of concern to him. He spent the first 25 years of his professional life as a trial attorney, then launched an online investigative news website that broke several national stories. He is also the author of three crime novels. He resides in Jefferson County. See our “About” page for more information.
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