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For this mother-daughter duo, cannabis isn’t just a commodity—it’s a carefully curated tool for healing.

Anacostia Organics opened in 2019, becoming the first medical dispensary east of the Anacostia River in Washington, DC. At a time when most dispensaries were planting roots in affluent neighborhoods or behind layers of security glass, Linda Mercado Greene chose to set up shop in Ward 8, one of DC’s most underserved communities.

It’s not your typical dispensary. Granted, Linda isn’t your typical cannabis entrepreneur. With decades of experience navigating Capitol Hill, running PR firms, and advising the powerful (including Nelson Mandela and Michael Jackson), the 70-something cannabis trailblazer brings both clout and compassion to an industry still fighting for legitimacy.

Family-owned and operated

Helmed alongside her daughter Tamia, who serves as Director and General Manager, Linda has created something rare in today’s legal weed landscape: a minority- and women-owned dispensary that isn’t just a place to buy cannabis, but a place to be seen, heard, and cared for.

For this mother-daughter duo, cannabis isn’t just a commodity—it’s a carefully curated tool for healing. The inventory reflects this intentional approach with attention to terpene profiles and cannabinoid content, even if most DC consumers still shop by THC percentage. “People are learning,” says Tamia. “For a long time, people would come in and ask for one brand only—like, ‘I only smoke District Cannabis,’” she recalls. “But lately, they’ve become more open. If we’re out of something, they trust our staff to recommend something new.”

On the menu: Hyper-local and medicinal

For Linda and her team, building trust is just as important as the products on offer. In a city where many patients—yes, patients, because DC is still a medical-only market—are seniors managing chronic conditions, Anacostia Organics caters to people with arthritis, cancer, and people on multiple medications. “A lot of people want the relief without having to smoke.” Linda adds.

Tourists, enabled to self-certify their need for cannabis, seek the store out, too, and the insular DC market means that the menu is dominated by only a handful of DC-licensed cultivators. District-grown flower, terpene-rich edibles, topicals, and infused honeys are all part of the mix—though keeping the shelves stocked isn’t always easy in a medical market that’s still playing catch-up.

It’s not easy being a DC dispensary

“There’s a shortage right now,” Linda explains. With DC’s recent push to transition legacy operators into the legal space, the demand for products has surged—without a matching supply. “Cultivators didn’t have enough time to prepare for all these new businesses entering the market,” she says.“My stock levels fluctuate a little bit more now than they did previously.”

Despite being one of the earliest jurisdictions on the East Coast to legalize medical cannabis in 1998, the District has faced unique challenges in regulating its cannabis industry.

Shortages aren’t the only uphill battle that DC dispensary owners face. The struggle for dispensary owners is further compounded by federal tax code 280E, which prevents cannabis businesses like Anacostia Organics from deducting standard business expenses. “Eighty-five cents of every dollar goes to the IRS,” Linda says. “That’s because of 280E. We can’t write off rent, salaries, utilities—nothing.” It’s an especially heavy burden in a jurisdiction barred from building the retail infrastructure to compete with the illicit market.

Despite being one of the earliest jurisdictions on the East Coast to legalize medical cannabis in 1998, the District has faced unique challenges in regulating its cannabis industry. Federal interference delayed implementation of its medical program for more than a decade, and although voters overwhelmingly approved adult-use legalization in 2015, Congressional control over the District’s budget has prevented the city from establishing a regulated market.

Every year, a rider introduced by Maryland Congressman Andy Harris—commonly referred to as the “Harris Rider”—blocks the District from using local funds to enact the will of its residents. “Only one member of Congress can stop the whole thing,” says Linda. If not for that, “DC would have a flourishing adult-use market generating tens of millions in revenue.”

A sanctuary, not just a store

Despite the challenges, Linda keeps pushing forward. From organizing job fairs and educational sessions to hosting the city’s first government-sponsored cannabis podcast, Cannabis Conversations, she’s building something bigger than a dispensary. “Our motto is that ‘we are family, not a factory,’” she says. “We hug, we celebrate birthdays, we educate. It’s about community, not just cannabis.”

At Anacostia Organics, the mission goes beyond selling cannabis—it’s about restoring dignity, building trust, and creating space for healing. While the industry in DC is still grappling with restrictive laws and uncertain access, Linda has made her dispensary a sanctuary. The space itself is proof of that intention: warm, welcoming, filled with plants and original art. Patients are greeted with knowledge and kindness, not bulletproof glass.

“Our motto is that ‘we are family, not a factory.’ We hug, we celebrate birthdays, we educate. It’s about community, not just cannabis.”

Linda Mercado Greene

The team takes time with each person who walks through the door, whether they’re seeking pain relief, guidance, or just someone who will listen without judgment.

As for the future? Linda is considering cultivation, “some sort of vertical integration.” She wants to expand into the South, bringing the Anacostia Organics experience to communities that need it. And, she wants to see federal legalization finally become a reality. No matter how the business grows, one thing won’t change: her commitment to compassion, community, and care.

“I think what sets us apart,” she says, “is that we see this plant not as a product, but as a tool for healing. And everyone who walks through our doors—no matter where they come from—deserves to feel that.”

Looking for cannabis and community in Washington DC? Shop the Anacostia Organics menu on Leafly for pickup, find daily deals, and stock up on all your favorites today.