[420 Girl]

Santa Cruz city leaders have deadlocked over a request to allow one day of smoking in city parks.

The one-day exemption would allow medical marijuana patients to light up during the annual Wamm Festival at San Lorenzo Park at the end of the month, but city council members have tabled the issue for another two weeks.

The vote came back Tuesday tied at 3-3.

The Wammfest is an annual event that raises money and awareness for medical marijuana issues.

Many city leaders said they see the event, and the medical marijuana issue, as a reasonable exception to the smoking ban in city parks.

"This is nothing like smoke-outs or 4-20 events like they had at the university and other places," said Santa Cruz City Councilman Mike Rotkin. "This is basically a question of medical marijuana usage. And the city of Santa Cruz takes the issue with people's right to have access to what to them is really medication seriously."

Santa Cruz police said they will follow the orders of city government when it comes to marijuana, which is considered illegal by the federal government.

"Law enforcement has to make an evaluation of what's really going on here and what's the outlet of the issue," said Steve Clarks with the Santa Cruz Police Department. "If it's a situation where individuals are just using marijuana for medical purposes, they have a legitimate medical reason to do that."

In past years, the city has placed conditions on the event that included roping off the area, keeping children out and prohibiting the sale or distribution of medical marijuana.

All medical marijuana users will be required to keep their county-issued Prop 215 card with them at all times if smoking at Wammfest is allowed.

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