Medical marijuana dispensaries in Oregon will face new state regulations starting in March…and city officials in Klamath Falls want to make sure they’re ready.
Klamath Falls City Attorney Joanna Lyons-Antley says city council will review the new state law before it takes effect on March first…
“Council is going to look at the regulations that the state has adopted, and decide whether they think they should adopt some additional regulations.”
The new law will require marijuana dispensaries to be at least 1000 feet from a school…but Lyons-Antley notes that cities can require some additional restrictions…
“So they could, for example, expand that region. A second option could be that they say, no medical marijuana use within the actual business itself.”
Back in July of 2011, the ‘Cannabis Pipeline’ and ‘Klamath Compassion Center’ were shut down for allegedly selling marijuana to non-cardholders.
The city hopes to hit a balance that will still allow patients safe access to medical marijuana.
“We’re just trying to get ahead, going to meet with council, about how this community should handle that.” Says Klamath Falls City Manager Nathan Cherpeski. “Whether it’s zoning or business licensing, those kinds of things.”
Council will talk about the new medical marijuana regulations during a work session Monday night at 6:15.
Lyons-Antley notes that while there’s not deadline on coming up with a city ordinance…
“It would be nice if we could do that before March first.”
The Oregon law allowing the use of medical marijuana was passed 15 years ago.
It’s estimated that there are now about 55 thousand medical marijuana card holders in Oregon.
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