Add Jackson to cities with medical pot moratoriums

The city of Jackson has added itself to an ever growing number of municipalities in the state to pass a medical marijuana moratorium.

The Jackson Citizen Patriot reports the Jackson City Council voted 6-1 to pass a six month moratorium on medical marijuana dispensaries. This ordinance also prohibits non-residential growth, dispensing or use of medical marijuana in the city limits.

The lone vote cast against the ordinance was by Council Member Carl Breeding. He said he cast his vote out of concern for the quality of life for medical marijuana uses in the city.

But Acting City Manager Warren Renando swatted that claim down.

“It will not hurt anybody in this room,” Renando said.

Renando said existing medical marijuana dispensaries were grandfathered in, and thus not covered by the moratorium. But city officials admitted they don’t know how many dispensaries exist in the city.

Like other municipalities, Jackson officials were encouraged to pass the legislation to give the state courts and legislature time to hammer out problems with the law, including the question as to whether or not dispensaries are legal under the law.