Fulton prepares for medical marijuana

Fulton City Council and community members are learning how other cities are regulating medical marijuana.

Mayor Lowe Cannell said Fulton is in the “discovery phase” of putting together medical marijuana regulations.

Attorney Nathan Nickolaus presented during Tuesday’s City Council meeting to help Fulton develop its own regulations.

He said cities must create zoning rules, business regulations and change criminal codes to implement medical marijuana.

In states that already have implemented medical marijuana, Nickolaus said, odor has become an issue.

“I’m not talking about the smoke, but the raw marijuana itself,” he said. “It’s pretty strong, so you have to have rules in place about making sure that’s not going to be a bother to people or their neighbors.”

People currently aren’t allowed to sell marijuana paraphernalia. Nickolas said legalizing marijuana for medicinal purposes will require changes to criminal laws.

Rules set by related to people’s occupations might also need changed, he said.

“Firefighters and police officers will not be able to get medical marijuana permits because of their occupations,” Nickolaus said. “So personnel codes inside the city will have to be changed to reflect those kinds of things.”

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