Centralia City Council extends medical pot moratorium

The Centralia City Council agreed this week to extend the 18-month moratorium on medical marijuana collective gardens another six months, citing the city’s need for more direction from the Legislature and federal government on the issue.

The council originally passed a six-month moratorium on Aug. 23, 2011, and has continued to extend it since. City Attorney Shannon Murphy-Olson said state and federal laws have continued to disagree about the legality of medical marijuana collective gardens.

The passage of I-502 legalizing recreational use of marijuana last November has no impact on the growth and use of medical marijuana, Murphy-Olson said.

The Centralia Planning Commission met last month to draft a proposed zoning ordinance for medical marijuana collective gardens, which included allowing three locations to have collective gardens.