Neighboring Businesses Out Following Pot Clinic Closure

PALM SPRINGS – Cannahelp was expected to open Friday morning. Instead Southern California Edison shut down power to the entire building.

Code enforcement halted progress Thursday over concerns of bad wiring and unsafe heat lamps used to grow the medical marijuana.

The dispensary shares the building with Andy Brakebill’s printing business.

The sudden decision is forcing him to pack up his business and move to a temporary location.

“We’ll see. I mean, it’s up to the landlords you know we’re just moving out our files and continuing doing business as normal,” says Brakebill.

Last month, the city council approved 2 medical marijuana dispensaries.

And it hasn’t been easy for either of them to open.

Desert Organic Solutions needed to change locations because it couldn’t secure a lease on the original property.

Now Cannahelp must address the electrical situation.

“They have to abide by the law and if there’s some violations, which there certainly appear that there were, with building and fire in there yesterday,” says Palm Springs Mayor Steve Pougnet. “Should it be red tagged? And the answer to that is absolutely.”

Cannahelp’s owner Stacy Hochanadel tells News Channel 3 he made the proper improvements laid out by the city guidelines.

He’ll likely work with the city to either fix the problem or change locations.

“On Monday morning if Stacy thinks things were permitted that we will find that out on Monday morning and there will be conversations with planning,” says Pougnet.

And for the time being, his plans to open anytime soon have gone up in smoke.