Medford City Council to vote on banning marijuana grows

Medford, Ore. — Tense moments at a Medford City Council meeting. Those meetings are often uneventful, but on Thursday councilors were considering a vote to ban indoor and outdoor marijuana grows within city limits. Protestors rallied just before the noon meeting, but the passionate debate continued inside the chambers.

“I think an all out ban on growing is not only against state law and not what the people voted in, it’s going to hurt the community as a whole,” Tere Knight, a grower says.

“Thousands of people will go without a medicine that improves their lives,” Anthony Johnson says.

Following a rally on the steps of Medford City Hall, the conversation inside the chambers was spirited. At issue, an ordinance to ban medical and recreational marijuana grows within city limits. Cheers, and angry words, were exchanged between councilors and the crowd, as the city’s elected officials considered the ban for a second time.

“This is complaint driven, this is how we got here, because people complained about smell,” councilor Kevin Stine says.

Public comment was limited to 45 minutes before councilor Kevin Stine moved to wait until the evening meeting to take a vote. He says, the issue needed more consideration.

“I wanted to hear more, the council should hear more, and I think we should before we put a ban on something that affects so many people.”

Other councilors feel it should go to the voters, but many in attendance, say voters have already spoken.

“It’s very evenly split and that’s reflective in the votes on 91, the city was split 50-50 on this issue so we cant just put our finger in the air and say this is who showed up today or this is who called me yesterday,” councilor Daniel Bunn said.

No one spoke in favor of the ban at Thursday’s meeting. The council will continue their discussion during the evening council meeting at 7pm. NBC5 will be there and will have a full report for you at 11.