THIS SEEMS VAGUELY FAMILIAR >>>

City of Tacoma's Tax & Licensing Division has summarily revoked the business licenses of at least 19 medical marijuana dispensaries within the city limits. Dispensary owners received letters yesterday, March 17, demanding that they cease to operate by March 28 or face fines and penalties, up to and including criminal prosecution.

This comes less than six months after Tacoma officials promised to  grant amnesty to dispensaries pending legal clarification likely to be provided during this year's legislative session. Since then, several other cities, including Federal Way and Fife, have offered similar moratoriums to dispensaries.  Meanwhile, two bills are currently moving through legislative process. House Bill 1550 and SB 5073, which has been approved by the State Senate, would each in their own way provide for legal operation of dispensaries. Both bills, especially SB 5073, have received criticism from patient and co-op advocates.

Last October City of Tacoma officials overruled similar orders sent by Tax & Licensing which, working hand-in-hand with Tacoma Police advisors, had ordered eight dispensaries to close. Following delivery of the orders, patients and advocates rallied outside City Hall, only to be told that city officials had decided to enact an emergency moratorium until the state legislature had a chance to clarify what has been criticized as a poorly written state law. Tacoma's moratorium came with the message that city officials were not "in favor of getting between patients who have a legitimate medical need and access to that medicine."

Has that changed?

UPDATE: Shortly after posting this blog, the City of Tacoma's Rob McNair-Huff attempted to add clarification in our comment section.

"This action is the same as what took place last fall, and we are asking the 19 new businesses to follow the same process - file an appeal and we won't pursue the appeal until the state legislature has finished its consideration of updating the medical marijuana laws so that there is more clarity," writes McNair-Huff.

UPDATE: The Weekly Volcano was able to catch up with McNair-Huff this morning in hopes he could further explain the situation.

City of Tacoma spokesman Rob McNair-Huff says the action was a procedural one, and encouraged dispensary owners to file appeals. City officials will extend the same offer that was extended to the eight dispensaries that received similar letters in October - file your appeal, and no action will be taken until the state legislature has a chance to provide clear legal guidelines for operating dispensaries. The action was necessary, McNair-Huff says, because Tacoma's bank of dispensaries has grown from eight to 29 since October, and that new dispensaries needed to occupy the same legal space as their predecessors. City of Tacoma officials are working with medical marijuana advocates such as Washington Cannabis Association to reach out to dispensary owners who may be confused about the city's intentions.

"We don't want to get between patients and their medicine. Our statement still stands," says Mc Nair-Huff. "We just want to bring everybody up to the same level so we can deal with these companies in the same way pending action from the state legislature."

UPDATE: Here's a copy of the letter sent to Tacoma medical marijuana dispensaries yesterday, which the city calls "procedural."