Letter: Shortage of marijuana dispensaries for medical patients

In light of the closing of hundreds of medical marijuana dispensaries in July of 2016, we are left with only one local store to cater to medical patients.

I have been a medical patient for over 10 years and have a condition that requires marijuana. I also am a medical marijuana consultant who started the DOH database in Eastern Washington, and I found that the lack of licenses offered for medical marijuana stores is troubling. SB 5073 was mostly vetoed by Christine Gregoire and sought to set up a medical system that would work with the patient protection act to ensure quality products could be purchased. This never happened and leaves out millions in taxes and licensing. Also, I don’t believe that replacing the dispensaries should be banned since those stores were already serving thousands of patients before closure.

The stigma against marijuana is still a problem, however these dispensaries were catering to the sickest people our society has — and those whom regular medicine couldn’t help. I hope that lawmakers will find a way to reopen some of the medical outlets that were closed.

This story was originally published May 3, 2017 at 7:41 PM with the headline "Letter: Shortage of marijuana dispensaries for medical patients."