Tacoma Medical Marijuana Dispensaries to Stay Open After All.

• By Cali Shaye
• Legalize Marijuana
• 13 years ago
• 3

The city’s eight medical marijuana dispensaries had been given until Saturday to close doors face fines and penalties that could include jail time. With the deadline looming, patients and providers gathered to protest at City Hall on Tuesday. And their voices were heard. Hundreds voiced their frustration, saying the city had no right to take away their rights to obtain medical marijuana. The issue here was over the interpretation of the vague state law on medical marijuana law. The law, which was first drafted back in 1998, states dispensary operators can only provide medical marijuana to “one patient at any one time.” Marijuana activists argue that the law actually gives providers license to see more than one patient as long as only one patient is seen at a time. But on Tuesday the Tacoma City Council sided with the protesters to allow dispensary operators to continue selling medical marijuana. “We are very very happy and very very pleased,” said one proponent. “Unfortunately this a band aid, and it’s a small fix on a bigger issue. But for right, now we’re going to be allowed to operate.” Tacoma’s dispensaries are estimated provide mediccal marijuana to more than 10000 patients in the area. Many of them were present at the protest, and said they were relieved by the city council’s decision.