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Pierce County, Washington

RESOLUTION NO. 14-03




A RESOLUTION OF THE PENINSULA SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 401 SUPPORTING
THE ENACTMENT OF MORE RESTRICTIVE REGULATIONS ON MARIJUANA
BUSINESSES WITHIN THE CITY OF GIG HARBOR

WHEREAS, in 2012, the citizens of Washington voted to legalize marijuana for
recreational use, and in doing so joined Colorado as the only other state in which recreational
marijuana use is legal; and

WHEREAS, marijuana remains a Schedule 1 controlled substance under the Federal
Controlled Substances Act, meaning that under Federal law it is considered to have no currently
accepted medical use in the United States, a lack of accepted safety for use under medical
supervision, and a high potential for abuse; and

WHEREAS, the Washington State Liquor Control Board (LCB) has developed
regulations for the licensing of marijuana producers, processors, and retailers; and

WHEREAS, the LCB regulations prohibit marijuana businesses from locating within
1,000 feet of sensitive uses like parks, transit facilities, and schools; and

WHEREAS, in September 2013, the Gig Harbor City Council passed an ordinance
enacting a new chapter 17.63 to the Gig Harbor Municipal Code, which confined marijuana
businesses to certain zones of the city; and

WHEREAS, under the Municipal Code and the LCB regulations, a school is defined to
include only educational facilities recognized by the Washington State Superintendent of Public
Instruction (OSPI); and

WHEREAS, the Peninsula School District operates non-traditional school facilities and
programs that serve secondary students, including the Community Transition Program (CTP) and
Internet Academy (PIA), which are not recognized as traditional schools by OSPI but
nevertheless have students in attendance on a daily basis; and

WHEREAS, the CTP and PIA are located within the General Business (B-2) zone within
the City of Gig Harbor, which allows marijuana businesses without any restrictions other than
compliance with state law; and

WHEREAS, the State Attorney General issued a written opinion in January 2014, stating
that local communities may choose whether to allow state-licensed marijuana uses within their
boundaries; and

WHEREAS, the Washington State Court of Appeals has recently determined that
marijuana collective gardens are illegal under state law; and

WHEREAS, in response to these new developments in the law, on April 14, 2014, the
Gig Harbor City Council enacted a six-month emergency moratorium on the licensing of
marijuana businesses; and

WHEREAS, the Board of Directors believes it is unacceptable for a marijuana business
to locate in proximity to any educational facility that serves students, even if that facility is not
formally defined as a school; and

WHEREAS, marijuana use by students causes extreme harm by damaging developing
brains, creating opportunities for abuse and addiction, lowering school attendance and
performance, and contributing to high-risk behavior; and

WHEREAS, according to the 2012 Healthy Youth Survey, teen marijuana use within the
District community is already higher than the state average and perceived risk of using marijuana
is lower than the state average; and

WHEREAS, marijuana legalization, even where use is restricted to individuals over the
age of 21, sends the wrong message to students: that use of marijuana is a harmless and even
worthwhile pursuit; and

WHEREAS, legal retail sales can be expected to increase the availability of marijuana
and use by students; and

WHEREAS, while the legalization of marijuana remains the law of this state, the Board
of Directors urges the City of Gig Harbor to enact greater restrictions on the siting of marijuana
collective gardens and businesses.

NOW, THEREFORE, the Board of Directors of the Peninsula School District No. 401
does hereby resolve that to protect the health, safety, welfare of students, the availability of and
access to marijuana should be severely restricted within the community. The Board urges the
City of Gig Harbor to enact additional restrictive regulations on marijuana businesses, up to and
including a complete ban on collective gardens and new marijuana businesses within the City.

The Board further resolves that the District will increase efforts to educate students and
parents about the dangers of using alcohol and drugs, including marijuana.



ADOPTED by the Board of Directors of Peninsula School District No. 401, Pierce County,
Washington, at a regular meeting thereof, held this 22
nd
day of May, 2014.


PENINSULA SCHOOL DISTRICT 401
PIERCE COUNTY, WASHINGTON



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President and Director



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Director



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Director



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Director



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Director



ATTEST:



________________________________
Secretary, Board of Directors

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