MOSES LAKE - Moses Lake passed the first reading of an ordinance extending a moratorium on medical marijuana gardens.

Moses Lake is one of several Columbia Basin municipalities that passed a six-month moratorium on the establishment of such gardens within their city limits last September while they look at how to fit them into existing zoning, licensing and safety standards.

At the time many cities discussed the possibility of extending the ban if the state Legislature didn't iron out issues with allowing medical marijuana patients grow and distribute their own drugs.

"This is still such a confusing mess that the recommendation we have is to continue this another six months," City Manager Joe Gavinski told council members. "If it isn't solved within that period of time, and I doubt that it will be, we would request the council consider an additional six-month moratorium."

Gavinski expressed frustration over the legislature's failure to resolve issues that exist in current state law with regard to collective gardens.

"In addition to the issues at the state level there is the confusion that exists between the enforcement of laws regarding marijuana with the federal government and state," he said. "There's just a lot of confusion out there."