Washington cities, counties putting lid on medical marijuana

The city of Kent has put a stop to medical marijuana dispensaries in the area, at least for now. And, the Everett Herald reports, three cities in Snohomish County are moving to delay licensing of collective gardens for growing marijuana for medical purposes.

In Kent, city officials shut down all medical marijuana facilities after voting to put a six-month moratorium on dispensaries and related businesses.

The Kent mayor said the state’s failure to clarify the law concerning medical marijuana left officials with no choice, because it’s still technically illegal to sell the drug.

The city sent cease and desist letters to the businesses in early June and again three weeks later.  Police conducted a sweeping search of the dispensaries yesterday after serving warrants to the owners.

And while an expansion of the state's medical marijuana law that goes into effect July 22 makes the collective marijuana gardens legal with certain conditions, Snohomish adopted a six-month moratorium on those gardens this week. Marysville is looking at doing the same next week and Mukilteo could be close, too.

Under the new law, up to 10 qualifying patients can grow 45 plants and have 72 ounces of usable cannabis at a collective garden. The law enables cities to license, zone and impose health and safety requirements.