City and County of Yakima Banning Pot Businesses

The Yakima City Council voted 6-1 to ban the processing, producing and retail sale of marijuana within city limits Tuesday. Council member Kathy Coffey was the only one to vote no.

Council chambers had to use overflow seating to accommodate all the people who wanted to attend the meeting.

Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson recently said that cities and counties can block licensed marijuana businesses from operating within their borders. He says the state's voter-approved measure legalizing recreational marijuana allows local governments to adopt rules that are more strict than those set out in the law.

Meanwhile, the Yakima County Commissioners passed a resolution that directs staff to develop an ordinance that bans marijuana sales and production in the unincorporated areas of the county.

Commissioner Mike Leita says for many years the county has struggled with problems caused by drugs and alcohol and cost taxpayers a lot of money, “with huge costs associated with dui’s theft injuries deaths murders related to such alcohol and drugs.”

The commissioners also sited the fact that a majority of county residents voted against the statewide initiative that legalized pot.

Sales will still be allowed in individual cities in the county just not in the unincorporated areas.