Mayor Defends Legalized Pot in Ozarks City

[Ganjarden]

Some Ozarks leaders plant a seed they hope will blossom into a national movement.

In a small village just south of Joplin, the city council recently passed an ordinance legalizing medicinal marijuana. It was meant to help ease the suffering of the mayor.

"It doesn't hurt all the time," Mayor Joseph Blundell said. "But if i move around a lot or just get too emotional, I'm in blinding pain."

Blundell lives in a world blindsided by a train accident that left him immobile and sedated. It wasn't until someone introduced him to the medicinal uses of marijuana, that blundell says he could get a handle on his pain.

"Kind of woke up to the fact that I not only didn't have to live in pain, but not live in sedation and be constantly drugged out of my gourd."

Earlier this month, Blundell, who's the mayor of Creek Village, helped to pass a law legalizing medicinal marijuana. The ordinance allows someone with a doctor's approval to grow and posses the banned substance. But deputies with the Newton County Sheriff's Department disagree.

"They can pass whatever law they want," Cpt. Richard Leavens said. "They just can't enforce the law."

Leavins said the marijuana ordinance is invalid because it conflicts with state law. Now the Sheriff's department will keep a close eye on residents in the village.

"We'll be watching areas like that a little more closely since they feel that it's okay to do that to grow and possess marijuana."

For the mayor, he says he doesn't grow or smoke marijuana.

But he hopes his community's new law will sprout lawmaker's interest of medicinal marijuana.

"If it means I have to live another couple months so that we can get things changed for the better, I'll just tough it out."

Lawmakers may have the opportunity to look into medicinal marijuana later this year. Legislators introduced house bill 277, which would change the laws regarding marijuana.

That's part of Blundell's issue. It's not on the docket- and in years past, bills like it have been brushed aside or forgotten.


News Hawk- Ganjarden http://www.420Magazine.com
Source: OzarksFirst.com
Author: Brian Richardson
Contact: OzarksFirst.com
Copyright: 2009 Nexstar Broadcasting, Inc
Website: Mayor Defends Legalized Pot in Ozarks City