WOODLAND COUNCIL SETS SIX-MONTH BAN ON MEDICAL MARIJUANA DISPENSARIES

Caught in between the state and federal marijuana regulations, the
Woodland City Council decided to hold off on allowing dispensaries
and gardens until the rules become less hazy.

The council on Tuesday unanimously passed a measure to institute a
six month city-wide moratorium in hopes the state will resolve the
ambiguities of last year's marijuana legislation.

"I think we're being prudent to wait and see what happens," said
Councilman Al Swindell. "It's a catch-22 right now."

Gov. Chris Gregoire vetoed sections of a bill last year that would
have allowed for dispensaries and put cities state-wide in limbo on
whether to allow dispensaries and grow operations that are still
deemed illegal on the federal level. Some lawmakers have already
begun pushing another bill, SB 6265, that would legalize nonprofit
dispensaries but still leave regulation up to individual municipalities.

Councilman John Burke said the city should have a clearer
understanding of the rules and how to properly move forward by the
time the moratorium ends. However, there's also talk that legislators
could put a measure before voters on the November ballot that would
legalize and tax recreational-marijuana sales. A decision that will
be made long after the six month moratorium expires.

"It's a tough issue," Mayor Grover Laseke said.