BELGRADE BANS MEDICAL MARIJUANA

4-2 Decision Says Medical Marijuana Cannot Be Sold or Used Within a
Mile of Belgrade

Following several months of discussion regarding the sale and use of
medical marijuana, the Belgrade City Council voted Tuesday to ban the
sale of the drug within city limits.

In the 4-2 decision, the council ruled that medical marijuana may not
be sold or used within a mile of Belgrade. However, pot stores that
opened prior to the Tuesday ban will be "grandfathered" into the new
system by the state law, and allowed to maintain their businesses.

Residents would also be permitted to grow their own medical
marijuana. The ordinance will take effect on Aug. 5.

In March of this year, Belgrade city staffers began working on a
zoning ordinance that would have regulated where marijuana growers
could open a business. However, the council voted in May to abandon
the process in favor of an ordinance that would ban the use of
substances within Belgrade that were in violation of any state or federal law.

Mayor Russell Nelson opened the floor to public comment at 7:05 p.m.
The final vote was counted at 7:30.

Dennis Raener, of Belgrade, said he supported the ban on marijuana.
He cited a story he had heard about a man smoking pot in a parked
car. According the story, a police officer was unable to write a
citation because the man involved had a license to use the substance.
He said he was uncomfortable and worried about his family driving on
roads with people smoking marijuana.

Charles Thomas, the owner of Honest John's Farmacy, a medical
marijuana distributor, said he's seen a lot of patients, and he has
turned down many.

"Unfortunately, there are a lot of people out there who want the
medicine for the wrong reason - not in my store," he warned.

While Thomas did not explicitly offer advice to the council, he
defended his practice and said that he was a responsible caregiver.
He agreed with the council that there needed to be "less gray area,"
and said he was in the process of working with the state to develop
more clear definitions regarding medical marijuana.

"I'm working with the city council and the state Legislature to help
further regulation to where it needs to be," he said.

Six Belgrade citizens spoke at the meeting. All but Thomas supported the ban.

Several council members said while they were not particularly opposed
to marijuana being prescribed as a medical drug, they were
uncomfortable permitting its sale without further regulations.

"I'm really hoping that the state Legislature will give us some
direction," said Councilwoman Anne Koentopp.