News came from both sides of the culture war over marijuana today, as the March arrest by DEA agents of a Saginaw, Mich., doctor who prescribed medical
“„Police, municipal governments and patient advocates have pressed the Legislature to fix vague elements in the 1998 citizens initiative that legalized medical marijuana. In the absence of clarity, more than 100 dispensaries have opened statewide under questionable legal status, concerning police.
“„The resulting bill, SB 5073, is the biggest overhaul since 1998. During debate on the House floor Monday, Rep. Mary Lou Dickerson, D-Seattle, recalled a relative whose end-of-life suffering was eased by medical marijuana. “We owe it to this state to be compassionate in these times,” she said.
“„Medical-marijuana entrepreneurs, however, already are looking forward. The Department of Health has received 11 “letters of intent” from people interested in dispensary licenses, spokesman Donn Moyer said. The Department of Agriculture has received at least three letters inquiring about grower permits.
“„And medical-marijuana companies are rushing to incorporate with the secretary of state, seeking to beat the May 1 deadline by which future license-holders must be registered as an entity. At least two dozen nonprofit and for-profit groups have incorporated recently with “marijuana” or “cannabis” in their titles, including “Cannabis Oasis” and “Pappy’s Medical Marijuana LLC.”
“„“I’m nervously optimistic,” said Philip Dawdy, spokesman for the Washington Cannabis Association, a newly formed medical-marijuana trade group, which hired a lobbyist this year.