Sensible Spokane Alliance

Spokane cannabis activists rally at the corner of Queen and Division for the 2011 Global Marijuana March. 

Spokane I-3 is more than just a lowest law enforcement priority ordinance.

The official title of the ordinance, if passed by the people of Spokane, shall be Marijuana Regulations and will be adopted as a new chapter 10.15B to title 10 of the Spokane Municipal Code (SMC).

Chapter 10.15B.020 states that,

The City of Spokane shall establish a system to license, tax, and regulate marijuana as soon as possible under Washington State law. At that time, the city council shall promulgate regulations that are consistent with Washington State law.

Chapter 10.15B.040 creates a Cannabis Community Oversight Committee to oversee the ordinance and advise the city council as to appropriate regulations. As per Chapter 10.15B.040, the committee shall consist of,

...one city council member; one city resident from each council district; one marijuana related business owner; one medical marijuana patient; one marijuana policy reform advocate; and one drug abuse, treatment and prevention counselor, ...

In addition this section also states that,

...The Spokane police department, the Spokane City Attorney and the Eastern Washington Cannabis Association shall each send one representative as a nonvoting liaison to each of the committee meetings.

Medical marijuana regulations will more than likely be delegated to local authorities.

Senate Bill 5073, a measure to reform Washington's medical marijuana laws, is undergoing revisions in a special session in Olympia. The proposed law as it is currently written states in Section 1102 that,

Local authorities may adopt and enforce laws regulating or banning medical cannabis in their communities.

Likewise, a May 5, 2011 article by Seattle's King 5 News stated that Senator Jeanne Kohl-Welles "is now working on a bill to let cities and counties approve licenses if they so choose."

Spokane I-3 not only mandates that cannabis be regulated locally, but it also gives local stakeholders a seat at the table in the form of the Community Oversight Committee.

How long has it been?

The last time the citizens of Spokane had their voices heard regarding cannabis was in 1998 when the people of Washington voted in favor of I-692, The Medical Use of Marijuana Act. 

A mere 2,778 signatures is all it takes for Spokane to reiterate our desire to make cannabis accecable to those in need and eliminate law enforcement interference with in our local cannabis community. 

So please, if you live in the the city of Spokane and are collecting signatures for Sensible Washington's I-1149, consider carrying a Spokane I-3 petition in order to support cannabis law reform locally.