TACOMA OKS MEDICAL POT PANEL

Tacoma's City Council unanimously agreed Tuesday to empanel a
"Medical Cannabis Task Force" to help form regulations for pot
dispensaries in the city.

Mayor Marilyn Strickland will appoint the panel's members and
designate its chairperson. She plans to announce the appointments Thursday.

"There was no problem recruiting volunteers for this (committee),"
Strickland said.

Among its 11 members, the task force must include a medical cannabis
dispensary or collective garden operator; a doctor or medical
professional; a patient with a chronic illness; a neighborhoods
representative; a community member or small business owner; a former
law enforcement employee; a private individual with legal experience;
and representatives of an anti-drug agency, a nonprofit that provides
care for patients with chronic illnesses, the Tacoma-Pierce County
Health Department and the business community.

"Really, the purpose of this task force is to provide diverse
opinion," said Victoria Woodards, chairwoman of the council's Public
Safety, Human Services and Education Committee.

Creation of the panel comes three weeks after the council approved an
emergency six-month moratorium on new and existing medical cannabis
dispensaries and community gardens in the city. The temporary ban
seeks to allow the city time "to develop and adopt appropriate
zoning, business licensing, health and safety, or tax requirements
for the production processing, dispensing and delivery of medical cannabis."

Officials said then that the city won't take new enforcement action
against existing businesses, but the ban was needed to prevent
medical cannabis shops from multiplying further while rules are set up.

Once seated, the new committee is expected by Oct. 15 to provide
"balanced feedback and recommendations to the city manager to assist
city staff in developing recommendations to the City Council
regarding business licensing, health and safety and tax
requirements," according to the council's resolution authorizing the
task force.

The panel will also have authority to conduct public outreach upon
request of the public safety committee, and will provide "advice and
feedback" to the city's planning commission in development of a
"Medical Cannabis Policy Development" land use plan to be forwarded
to the council Dec. 29.

"It doesn't mean this committee will have ultimate say," said
Woodards, noting the public will have multiple opportunities to
provide feedback during the process. "You still will have input."

Since last year, city officials have been grappling with how to deal
with an explosion of medical pot dispensaries in Tacoma. In hopes
this year's Legislature would clarify Washington's 1999
medical-marijuana law, the city postponed appeals hearings for 30
dispensaries. Those cases remain pending. All face losing city
business licenses after city police and licensing officials cracked
down on medical pot providers last year.

State lawmakers ultimately did pass a measure this year calling for
state-licensed dispensaries, but Gov. Chris Gregoire vetoed most of
the bill. Instead, the new law that took effect July 22 leaves
dispensary regulation up to local jurisdictions.

The new task force's term can be extended through Aug. 1, 2012, if necessary.