A medical marijuana dispensary operating without a city business license in Firdale Village has been shut down, following the Edmonds City Council’s decision last week to adopt an interim zoning moratorium on such dispensaries, according to Edmonds Police Chief Al Compaan.
Police served a cease-and-desist order Monday night to Sativa Medical Group, Compaan said. Police had been unaware of Sativa until an Everett man asked City of Edmonds earlier this month for a business license to open another dispensary.
The Council on Jan. 18 voted 6-1 to adopt an interim zoning moratorium on medical marijuana dispensaries until the Washington State Legislature addresses what some say are inadequate rules governing the possession and sale of the drug under the state’s medical marijuana law. The moratorium will expire in six months.
While Initiative 692, passed by citizens statewide in 1998, makes medical use of marijuana legal, it did not provide a legal way for patients to acquire the drug. As a result, patients either have to grow it themselves or have another person grow it for them for free. A third option is to purchase medical marijuana through dispensaries — essentially storefronts that provide marijuana to those who have a doctor’s note authorizing them to possess it. Such dispensaries are not allowed under state Department of Health rules, but law enforcement in some jurisdictions are tolerating their existence.
Edmonds City Attorney Scott Snyder and Police Chief Al Compaan told the council that the zoning moratorium will give the city some time to see whether the state Legislature will act to address the issue. At least two bills have been introduced in the current legislative session, Snyder said.
We keep letting rapists, murderers, and the worst sort of thugs back out on the streets – e.g. the lovely Brad Campbell of Seattle who has been in the news all week – but this is where the City of Edmonds decides to spend its resources. What a sad joke. To make matters worse, they probably sat around having cocktails and beer while they waste our taxpayer dollars in futile motions like this. The only reason the Police Chief is involved at all is to get his next financial grant for his “war on drugs.” It is a sad, sad joke. Maybe they should spend a little more time dealing with REAL criminals and stop harassing sick people who are simply seeking to relieve their symptoms.
If these folks had family members dying of cancer, they might not be so quick to harass.
Awful.. Just awful. I feel for the patients that now dont have a local dispensary to go to.. Shame on you, Edmonds..
As Randal pointed out.. Why not FOCUS on the REAL criminals out there???
I wouldnt put too much blame on the City of Edmonds Police, they do not have clear direction from the state legislator on how to handle the dispensary, its really the legislator that is to blame. And not to show too much support for the City of Edmonds, but the dispensary is completly unregulated at this point, who knows who they are giving the marijuana to and what kind of documentation if any they are requiring from the customers. I could jot out a letter to myself on medical office letter head and walk in there and if they give me the marijuana who is going to enforce regulation of them?
As far as focusing on “real’ criminals we are talking about EDMONDS! have you ever lived in edmonds? their is not a lot of ‘real’ crime going on.
Only folks that should be voting on marijuana are those that have cancer. Rest of us should shut up.
One thing about all this is anything you say somebody is going to be unhappy. I feel sorry for the people who have cancer but I heard there are places to get it in seattle maybe lake city
Hobbs-
Great logic. So the only people who should get to vote on anything are those with a vested interest. I’d love that because we’d never see another tax increase. In fact, since I pay tens of thousands of dollars in taxes every year I should probably get more than one vote in how all my money gets spent.
@Scott. Oh god here comes more crying about taxes. I just meant the weed vote. Geesh.
Maybe we should allow weed for all teabags. They are such an angry lot. Breathe people, breathe.
Marijuana is the safest drug with actual benefits for the user as opposed to alcohol which is dangerous, causes addiction, birth defects, and affects literally every organ in the body. Groups are organizing all over the country to speak their minds on reforming pot laws. I drew up a very cool poster for the cause which you can check out on my artist’s blog at https://dregstudiosart.blogspot.com/2011/01/vote-teapot-2011.html Drop in and let me know what you think!