Katelyn Baker
Well-Known Member
Anacortes - The city of Anacortes extended its moratorium on new medical marijuana cooperatives through next May during its City Council meeting Monday as the city waits for state lawmakers to further develop medical marijuana regulations.
The council voted 4-0 to extend the moratorium.
In a medical marijuana cooperative, up to four patients can grow as many as 60 plants for their personal medical use. The cooperative must be located at the residence of one of its members.
Anacortes' original moratorium was put in place Dec. 7, 2015, so the city could create final code for cooperatives. Since the state is still developing its medical marijuana laws, the city recommended extending the moratorium, City Attorney Darcy Swetnam said.
In May, city officials met with various medical marijuana stakeholders, including patients and officials from the state Liquor and Cannabis Board and state Department of Health.
At that meeting, state officials said there was still work to be done in developing laws for medical marijuana, Swetnam said.
"The answers were consistently ... 'We don't know yet,'" Swetnam said. "It seems to make sense to the staff to take a step back, buy another six months, look at what the rules are going to be coming out of the Department of Health and Liquor and Cannabis Board and reevaluate the issues once we see how that plays out."
The state merged the previously unregulated medical marijuana industry with the regulated recreational marijuana industry July 1. Medical marijuana has been legal in Washington since 1998, while recreational marijuana has been legal since 2012.
News Moderator: Katelyn Baker 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Anacortes Extends Moratorium On Medical Marijuana Cooperatives
Author: Aaron Weinberg
Contact: 360-424-3251
Photo Credit: None Found
Website: Skagit Valley Herald
The council voted 4-0 to extend the moratorium.
In a medical marijuana cooperative, up to four patients can grow as many as 60 plants for their personal medical use. The cooperative must be located at the residence of one of its members.
Anacortes' original moratorium was put in place Dec. 7, 2015, so the city could create final code for cooperatives. Since the state is still developing its medical marijuana laws, the city recommended extending the moratorium, City Attorney Darcy Swetnam said.
In May, city officials met with various medical marijuana stakeholders, including patients and officials from the state Liquor and Cannabis Board and state Department of Health.
At that meeting, state officials said there was still work to be done in developing laws for medical marijuana, Swetnam said.
"The answers were consistently ... 'We don't know yet,'" Swetnam said. "It seems to make sense to the staff to take a step back, buy another six months, look at what the rules are going to be coming out of the Department of Health and Liquor and Cannabis Board and reevaluate the issues once we see how that plays out."
The state merged the previously unregulated medical marijuana industry with the regulated recreational marijuana industry July 1. Medical marijuana has been legal in Washington since 1998, while recreational marijuana has been legal since 2012.
News Moderator: Katelyn Baker 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Anacortes Extends Moratorium On Medical Marijuana Cooperatives
Author: Aaron Weinberg
Contact: 360-424-3251
Photo Credit: None Found
Website: Skagit Valley Herald
