Pubdate: Wed, 01 Jun 2011
Source: Daily News, The (Longview, WA)
Copyright: 2011 The Daily News
Contact:  http://www.tdn.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2621
Author: Barbara LaBoe, The Daily News

CASTLE ROCK REJECTS COMMUNITY MEDICAL MARIJUANA GARDENS

CASTLE ROCK -- After an at-times heated meeting, the City Council
unanimously approved a six-month moratorium on community medical
marijuana gardens. Supporters of the gardens called the action illegal
and said the city was opening itself up to millions in legal expenses.

Julian Robinson, who opened The Healing Hand of God patient assistance
center in town last month, said after the meeting that he's filed a
$60 million lawsuit against the city for "prohibiting safe access to
medicine" and violating residents' civil rights. Robinson said that
several more lawsuits will follow.

During the meeting Robinson told the council "we're here and we're not
leaving," and that he'd tried to work calmly with them but now was
standing up for his clients' rights.

Patients at Robinson's clinic can get medical marijuana cards after
meeting with a doctor to see if they qualify. Robinson, himself a
medical marijuana patient, also provides information about the drug
and how to grow it and hopes to start a co-op to allow patients to
share any extra marijuana they grow.

Opinion about the proposed moratorium -- and medical marijuana in
general -- was evenly split among the crowd of about 150 people.

Many in the audience wore "Not in our Town" stickers and said they
feared that any type of medical marijuana operation in town would harm
children and make the drug more accessible.

"I have the utmost sympathy for people in pain, but I believe our
medical doctors can figure this out without (gardens) being shoved
down our throats," said Jim Worl, who lives in Longview but also owns
property in Castle Rock.

Tammy Roberts blamed the drug for getting her son hooked on harder
drugs and leading to a prison sentence for theft.

"Marijuana does not belong in our community, it's bad enough now," she
said. "Unless you want more kids sitting in prison like my son."

Others, such as Dallas Carroll, had specific concerns about whether a
garden would be secure.

"(Medical marijuana) is an amazing medicine and it has its place, but
not in a dispensary or a community garden," Caroll said.

Marijuana dispensaries are still illegal in the state, but the
Legislature recently passed a law allowing community medical marijuana
gardens starting July 22. City officials say the six month moratorium
will give them time to develop regulations about where such gardens
would be allowed.

Supporters of medical marijuana and gardens said the voters and
Legislature have spoken and the city shouldn't block the gardens.
Several said they can't live without their medicine. Others compared
the moratorium to when alcohol was banned in the United States during
Prohibition.

"Let the people have their gardens. It's the pills you have to worry
about," said Annette Barnes, who gave an impassioned speech about her
son's abuse of prescription medication. She turned and addressed the
audience and refused to yield the floor when her two minutes were up.
"You're trying to cut me off because I'm telling the truth ... it's
not the pot you need to worry about."

Councilman Mike Mask questioned several supporters of medical
marijuana, including how they would feel if their children were
exposed to the drug. The most heated point of the meeting came when,
after applause for a pro medical marijuana speaker, Mask asked those
who supported the moratorium to stand.

That caused at least one attendee to storm out, saying Mask had broken
the law with an "illegal poll." It also led to a heated exchange
between Mayor Paul Helenberg and several audience members that ended
only when Helenberg banged his gavel several times to restore order.

"We're not here to debate," Helenberg declared loudly.

"You just did, by taking a public poll," Robinson yelled
back.

Helenberg regained order and apologized for Mask's actions. He also
said he'd never spoken out against medical marijuana or Robinson's
business.

City Attorney Frank Randolph said after the meeting that taking an
audience poll isn't illegal but it also wasn't something that
Helenberg had wanted during the meeting.

A few speakers later, when James Barber Sr. said the council was
breaking the law, Mask asked why he was "threatening the council."

"Because you're threatening my life," Barber shot back. "I need this
to live."

Mask later told another speaker he's been on prescription pain
medication for years for kidney problems and has never had any desire
to take marijuana or any other illegal drug.

Randolph conferred with Mask briefly during the meeting and Mask later
apologized for "my outburst," adding that "my emotions sometimes get
the better of me."

Councilmembers said they weren't voting on medical marijuana itself,
just whether the city should take six months to outline planning and
zoning rules. Helenberg said they didn't want gardens going in next to
schools or churches, for example.

Councilman Ray Teter said he supports medical marijuana but wants it
handled in "a controlled and safe way." And Councilman Glenn Pingree
repeatedly said city leaders needed time to figure out the confusing
and conflicting state and federal regulations.

"This is new to us," Pingree said. "(The moratorium) is to help us get
everything in a row and make sure we're doing it correctly."
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MAP posted-by: Richard R Smith Jr.