Parents say Girl Scouts have been banned from selling cookies near the Walled Lake pot shop, officials say the opposite

WALLED LAKE, Mich. Scout troops in metropolitan Detroit have been banned from selling cookies outside a pot dispensary on Walled Lake, but leaders of the local organization say the troops have received false information.

Last weekend, the Oakland County Girl Scouts were met outside the Greenhouse of Walled Lake cannabis store by owner Jerry Millen, who authorized the girls to sell cookies outside his dispensary. According to Millen, the girls sold more than 1,000 boxes in a six-hour period.

After his successful sales, several other Scout troops asked Millen if they could also sell cookies outside of Greenhouse, which Millen approved. Several Girl Scouts planned to sell cookies outside the Walled Lake store this weekend, until they were informed by the local council that this was not allowed, said Millen and the local parents.

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Millen says one of the Scout parents received a call from Southwest Michigan Scout Council leaders, who allegedly said that selling cookies outside of marijuana facilities was against his policy.

“I am extremely disappointed that the powers that make up the Girl Scouts of the USA are throwing cold water on the entrepreneurial spirit of these young women,” said Millen in a press release on Friday. “Greenhouse of Walled Lake is a legal entity and a major contributor to the community. Scouts are seen all the time selling these delicious treats in front of supermarkets, liquor stores, etc. I hope these people will reconsider their position. “

According to local scout troop co-leader Jennifer Slayden, the council said members are not allowed to sell cookies outside of marijuana dispensaries, specifically because children are not allowed to enter marijuana stores. Slayden was not the recipient of this call.

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Slayden believes that banning the sale of cookies outside cannabis stores would be hypocritical, since troops are allowed to sell cookies outside stores that sell alcohol – which children obviously cannot legally consume.

“If you are allowed to sell outside a liquor store, what is the difference? If all the parents and the business owner agree, I think that should be good enough, ”said Slayden. “In Girl Scout law, the first line is,” I will do my best to be honest and fair. ” So we are teaching girls to be fair, even though they are not really fair ”.

In a statement to Local 4, a Girl Scouts of Southeastern Michigan spokesman said that local troops who were supposedly informed that they could not sell outside the Greenhouse store received incorrect information and that there is no such policy that prohibits troops from selling cookies outside of marijuana stores.

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“Girl Scouts of Southeastern Michigan (GSSEM) does not have a policy that prohibits troops from selling cookies in or near any company that is operating legally. The national girl scout organization, Girl Scouts of the USA, discourages troops from selling in places where girls cannot legally enter, however, there is no policy that prohibits sales in such companies, ”says the statement.

“GSSEM troops are allowed to set stand sales dates on their own, without GSSEM approval. In this case, GSSEM did not have information about this stand or troop, as it did not register the stand to include it in our cookie finder application. Again, this is not a necessary action and troops do not need to notify GSSEM when setting up their booths. We contacted the troop leader to help and clear up any confusion. “

Children in Michigan can legally consume cannabis products if registered with the state’s medical marijuana program, which must be endorsed by their parents or legal guardian, in addition to two licensed doctors. It is not clear whether registered minors are allowed to enter licensed marijuana facilities in Michigan, even if accompanied by an adult. According to the Michigan Marijuana Regulatory Agency, parents who register their children with the state’s medical marijuana program are responsible for purchasing and administering the drug to their children.

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Believing that Girl Scouts could no longer sell cookies outside his store, Millen bought 300 boxes of cookies this weekend to give to his customers.

Slayden said that if the troops are actually allowed to sell cookies outside the dispensary, which the Girl Scout officials say they are, the girls would be happy to “go back there soon”.

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