ST. LOUIS — Students say they're upset about the thought of two marijuana dispensaries near their school.
They're worried about the influence it could have on developing minds. Student Christian Noble believes two dispensaries near Lift For Life Academy are two too many.
Good Day Farm has applied for a permit to build a dispensary at 1531 S. Broadway, which would be 1,056 feet away from the academy.
"We've had suspensions here for weed, so a weed store right across the street... that could cause an unintended consequence," Noble said.
Noble is the treasurer for the student council at Lift For Life Academy, a predominantly Black charter school in south St. Louis.
He's a senior who's written a letter along with other students to the owners of the two dispensaries, government officials and real estate agents.
Noble said the student council wants them to choose a different location. But he's not the only one; the school's executive director, Marshall Cohen is on board with students.
"When I found out there were two, I almost fell out of my chair. On the same block?! Are you kidding me. If you want to have two on the same block. Do it. But not near a school!" Cohen said.
Already, Kind Goods announced plans to build a dispensary at 1631 S. Broadway across the street from the school, which would be less than 400 feet away.
Missouri state law prohibits any marijuana dispensary to be within 1,000 feet of schools, daycares and churches. But in 2020, St. Louis opted out of that law and removed any distance requirements. The dispensaries would both be nestled in Soulard.
"There's a lot of bars around and they have TVs where you can watch sporting events. They have food. A lot of the liquor stores sell deodorant candy and paper towels. A dispensary has one purpose only and it's to sell marijuana," Cohen said.
Noble says it could put parents in a rock and a hard place.
"This could ruin the way parents are trying to parent their kids," Noble said.
5 On Your Side reached out to both dispensaries for a request for comment, but did not immediately receive a response.
Students here at Lift for Life Academy say they will protest at 11:20 a.m. Thursday at the Kind Goods address in Soulard.