Yakima Not Alone in Wanting to Ban Pot

The City of Yakima has decided to join a handful of other cities in the state in opting out of the legal pot business.

The City Council voted Tuesday to ban the sale of the drug when legal stores open in the state early next year.

Carmen Mendez the Executive Director of the group Safe Yakima Valley says legal stores in the city would send the wrong message to young people. “We’re just concerned about kids in the valley. We don’t want them to think it’s ok to smoke marijuana.”

The city council has directed to staff to create the resolution that could put the county in a legal fight with the state. A handful of cities in the state are hoping to opt out of the legal marijuana business by banning the sale within city limits.

The Yakima City Council is expected to vote on the resolution at a meeting sometime next month.