Moses Lake expected to continue medical pot ban

MOSES LAKE - The City of Moses Lake will likely continue a ban on medical marijuana collective gardens for six more months as it waits for the state Legislature to act on medical marijuana regulations.

The City Council unanimously passed the first reading of the ordinance to extend the moratorium on medical marijuana collective gardens. The ban has been in place since 2011.

"The thought is that medical marijuana, public gardens, etc., will be merged with the recreational marijuana in rules and that's the idea," City Manager Joseph Gavinski said, adding merging the systems may leave collective gardens unnecessary.

The state Liquor Control Board issued recommendations to the state Legislature in December regarding the regulation of medical marijuana, but state lawmakers did not address it. Gavinski said the Legislature is expected to act on the issue during the next session and recommended the city extend the moratorium until state rules are set.

"The retail has been put in such a situation where the federal government says that with a robust, regulatory scheme, the feds will let this experiment continue," Gavinski said. "The problem you have with the medical marijuana and collective gardens is that it is not a robust, sort of regulatory system and needs to be dealt with, otherwise, the feds may change their minds, at least in regard to medical marijuana. In the end, the idea of medical marijuana existing may simply go away with it being sold through retail establishments but with some sort of tax relief being provided to those folks."

The City Council will need to pass the ordinance on a second reading at the next council meeting Aug. 12 following a public hearing.