After hearing from more than a dozen supporters of Medical Marijuana urging them to avoid passage of an ordinance declaring certain uses of medical cannabis as nuisances , the Everett City Council Wednesday night went ahead and approved the ordinance. The ordinance suggests the impacts of medical marijuana are likely to present issues of public safety, odor, public welfare and the protection of minors.

David Hall, a City of Everett attorney explained that the city was not trying to declare medical cannabis itself as a nuisance, but Everett wants to have the ability to use the nuisance law to make sure that the marijuana activity doesn’t occur where the city doesn’t want it. As passed, the law only allows medical cannabis gardens in an industrial area of southwest Everett near the Boeing plant. Individual medical cannabis users who have the proper medical paperwork can grow their own at their own homes. The law does not allow anyone to distribute medical marijuana anywhere within the Everett City limits. The Council members did approve an amendment that has the ordinance expiring in 18 months. Supporters of medical cannabis say they will take legal action against the city.