The Redding City Council voted Tuesday to extend a moratorium on all recreational marijuana businesses within the city until next December. But as City Attorney Barry DeWalt explains, that’s only to give him time to draft an ordinance that will likely come back for approval in the spring, trying to alleviate fears that all marijuana in the city will be banned
“What this ordinance does is extend your existing moratorium which solely relates to adult-use marijuana not medical marijuana,” he said.
Under Proposition 64, anyone can grow up to six plants for personal medical use. DeWalt says that would not change. But as with any regulation of marijuana, questions still persist.
Lori Bridgeford cautioned the council to keep in mind that marijuana is still illegal by federal law, and likely the feds will keep working against large cartel grows.
"I do not believe that the cartels will be diminished by what’s going on,” she said.
Whether or not that’s true, the council seems likely to pass whatever ordinance that DeWalt brings back early next year, paving the way for pot shops to open in Redding. The council also seems favorable to putting a tax measure on the ballot next November.