RAINIER: MARIJUANA LAW BAFFLING

Rainier City Council is unsure how to proceed when dealing with the
issue of medical marijuana.

A temporary moratorium on dispensaries remains in effect in Rainier.
However, the council is confused on how the state of Washington will
move forward, and does not know how to handle the issue once the
moratorium expires.

According to the state Department of Health website, changes made by
Gov. Christine Gregoire to the medical marijuana law left many
questions unanswered.

Sections of the law vetoed by Gregoire included creating a patient
registry and required dispensaries and producers to be licensed.

"The governor simply took out a bunch of definitions on what to do,"
said Rainier City Attorney Bill Cameron.

"We find some guy that has a half acre of marijuana and he says it's
all medical marijuana," he said, presenting the council with a
scenario. "Well, how do we know that's true?"

"There's nobody keeping track of that and anybody you find with a pot
plant or two and they can say it's medical."

Many cities, including Rainier and Yelm, placed moratoriums on
medical marijuana dispensaries until the state Legislature can clear
up some of the confusion created.

"A number of cities have done what we've done," Cameron said. "Nobody
knows what they're supposed to do."

City council is sending a request to the Rainier Planning Commission
to possibly invite them to the city council's Sept. 13 workshop with
Fred Evander of Thurston Regional Planning Commission in regards to
the city's zoning policy.

"At the moment, there is nothing that says we have to allow it,"
Cameron said. "We have no zoning regulations for it."

While many throughout the state are divided on the issue of medical
marijuana, Rainier Mayor Randy Schleis said the city wants to ensure
all bases are covered before lifting the city's moratorium.

"The fact of life is that it's going to come," he said.

Cameron said he would like to be that hopeful, that the state
Legislature will clear up confusion during their next session.

"Do you think a bunch of legislators want to deal with medical
marijuana during an election year?" Cameron asked.