Pubdate: Thu, 24 Feb 2011
Source: Port Orchard Independent (WA)
Copyright: 2011 Port Orchard Independent
Contact:  http://www.portorchardindependent.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2607
Author: Kaitlin Strohschein
Bookmark: http://mapinc.org/topic/Dispensaries

MARIJUANA DISPENSARIES STAY ON HOLD

Port Orchard's city council on Tuesday adopted an emergency 
moratorium on applications for building and land-use permits for 
marijuana businesses and dispensaries in the city.

"This is to maintain the status quo while we look at alternatives," 
said Greg Jacoby, the city's attorney. "This gives you options as we 
see what develops in Olympia and elsewhere."

While use of marijuana for medical purposes is legal in Washington, 
state laws about the legality of facilities from which it would be 
distributed have been interpreted differently by different cities.

"It says that, if you are going to have a dispensary, you can provide 
marijuana to one person at a time," said Jacoby at a work-study 
session on Feb. 15.

Different municipalities have interpreted the phrase "one person at a 
time" to mean different things.

But state lawmakers are considering a law to legalize the 
dispensaries under certain conditions.

"The Senate bill would create a licensing system for people that 
produce process and dispense marijuana," said Jacoby. "It would allow 
dispensaries, but they would have to be nonprofit, and there would be 
a whole registration process with the Department of Health. "It seems 
to have support from officials in both Seattle and Tacoma," he said. 
"I have no idea if it's likely to pass."

The moratorium would buy a little extra time for Port Orchard's city 
council to decide how to handle the issue, assuming the bill passes in Olympia.

"If Olympia passes a bill to legalize medical marijuana 
dispensaries," Jacoby said, "we would like to have addressed some 
zoning issues."

That way, the council can ensure dispensaries are "not next door to a 
school or city hall, but in an area that's appropriate," Jacoby said.

"Other cities are definitely watching how we will handle this," said 
Port Orchard Police Chief Alan Townsend.

Mari Meds, a marijuana dispensary in Belfair, has been operating for 
about three months.

Robert Wood and Lori Kent, who have worked together to run the 
dispensary, spoke to the city council at the Feb. 15 work-study 
session, and said they're providing a community service.

"I believe something like this would be good in Port Orchard," Wood 
said. "We can prove that it's not the stigma, it's the alternative.

"We're compassionate," he said. "We don't want people to hurt."

Kent, a former substance abuse counselor, agreed.

"It's not just a smoking party with a big fat joint and a bong 
anymore," she said.

John Clauson, on Feb. 22, urged the City of Port Orchard's staff to 
research the issue during the moratorium.

"I don't want to be six months down the road and then say, 'Oh gee, 
we need to do something with this zoning ordinance,'" he said.

But the city's staff has already started looking at how other cities 
have handled the issue, said James Weaver, Port Orchard's development director.

"Staff's already researching what's happening in other communities 
throughout Washington state," he said. "We're looking for examples to 
use as a basis."

"If we have a proposal," he said, "we'll discuss it in work-study and 
bring it before the council as with all of our zoning changes."
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom