Pasco Marijuana Gardens May Continue to Stay Illegal
Medical Marijuana
The Pasco City Council will vote in June on a measure that would keep a moratorium on collective medical marijuana gardens.
Pasco, along with many other cities in Washington, approved a moratorium on the gardens last summer after Governor Chris Gregoire signed into law the ability for cities to write the rules on growing medical marijuana.
The law, however, was not clear enough to cities because it is illegal by federal law to grow your own medical marijuana.
Rick White, City of Pasco, presented the plan to the council at Monday's meeting, and said allowing the growth of medical marijuana puts the city in a tough spot.
"It puts the city in an unwinnable position," White said. "You can't satisfy state law and allow medical marijuana gardens and you can't change federal law in violation of the controlled substance act."
The current moratorium expires in July, and the legislature did not act on the medical marijuana issue during the last legislative session; giving cities like Pasco no direction to make a decision on what to do.
The vote will likely be held on June 4th, just after a public hearing on the issue.