The Center for the Study of Cannabis and Social Policy recently published the following stats. Out of about 75 jurisdictions three dozen cities, ranging from Redmond to Pullman, have imposed moratoriums of six months to one year. Officials in about two dozen cities have passed zoning rules dictating where the shops, gardens and processing facilities can open. Wenatchee, SeaTac and Lakewood have banned pot until it is federally legal. Fourteen cities have taken no action, including Kirkland. The Kirkland City Council is in the minority and other cities are proceeding more cautiously or listening to their constituents.

The Washington State Liquor Control Board has asked the state attorney general for a legal opinion on whether cities and counties have the authority to bar the businesses from opening. This is uncharted territory, even for the board. So why rush things?

A “Pizza delivery” type of operation is not prohibited, resulting in delivery drivers congregating at the retail outlets, waiting for delivery calls.

Retail outlets will have drivers coming and going up until midnight, seven days of the week, carrying large amounts of cash and possibly firearms to prevent robbery. The board is also silent on the possibility these unlicensed and unmonitored delivery drivers creating a secondary market.

The Kirkland City Council and our local police need to take a serious look at the gaping holes in this initiative, instead of just rubber stamping the I-502 retail outlet applications.

Kerry Isbister, Kirkland