‘My Bible, my concealed carry, cash’ (and marijuana)
Christy Stanley will continue owning marijuana businesses with her gun and Bible.
It’s been illegal to process, produce or sell marijuana in unincorporated Clark County since county commissioners passed an ordinance since 2014 preventing the state’s burgeoning cannabis industry from taking root.
Since then, the Republican-dominated county commission became a Republican-dominated council, but it still hasn’t shown any signals that it’s willing to reverse its stance on the devil’s lettuce.
But during the public comment period at Tuesday’s county council hearing, one gun-and-Bible-touting marijuana enthusiast seemed to get some traction with councilors.
Christy Stanley, a Battle Ground resident, showed up to the council to tell them she has a state license for a retail store in Clark County that she’s unable to use because of the local ban. Stanley noted that she has retail licenses elsewhere in the state and operating businesses in the legally gray industry has given her a unique perspective.
“Through this process I’ve gained a lot of knowledge, I’ve gained a lot of understanding and, more specifically, what it feels like to feel discrimination on a level like I’ve never felt before in my pursuit in finding viable locations with which to locate my licensed operations,” she said.
She asked the council to consider lifting its ban to allow her to open her marijuana retail store, saying that it would not only provide tax revenue but jobs.
In the meantime, she described how she would operate.
“I roll with my Bible, my concealed carry, cash (because I can’t get a bank account) and my conviction,” she said pulling a Bible and a paper bag out of her purse. “So I really urge the council to consider lifting the ban in Clark County and help legitimize this.”
“You’ve put a good face on it,” said Council Chair Marc Boldt.
