Somers residents to have say on sale of pot
PHOTO | YEHYUN KIM/CT MIRROR
Staff members at Rocky Hill medical marijuana grow facility CTPharma trim dried cannabis flower.
The Board of Selectmen expects that voters at a town meeting will decide whether to ban or allow the sale and cultivation of recreational marijuana in the community.
There will be a public hearing April 28 at 7 p.m. in Town Hall for residents to discuss a proposed ordinance, prepared by Town Attorney Carl Landolina, that would prohibit both in Somers. Selectmen have not taken action on the ordinance but last week unanimously approved holding the public hearing in two weeks.
After hearing from the community, the board will then set a date for a town meeting to vote on the ordinance.
Adult use of recreational marijuana for those ages 21 and older became legal last July 1 in Connecticut, but the law allows municipalities to amend zoning regulations or local ordinances to ban retail establishments and growers. Retail sales of recreational marijuana in the state are not expected to begin until this summer at the earliest.
Selectmen, who said in January they wanted to hear from residents before taking any steps, held an informational meeting March 17 on the town’s options under state law for recreational cannabis sales and cultivation.
Should Somers decide to allow the sale and the growing of marijuana, Landolina said with a population of less than 25,000 people, according to the law, there could only be one retailer and one micro cultivator. A micro cultivator is defined as someone with between 2,000 and 10,000 square feet of floor space to grow cannabis.
Of the 11 people who spoke during the informational meeting, the majority said they don’t think allowing the sale and cultivation of marijuana is a good idea.
Their reasons included that the drug is dangerous to one’s health, that marijuana is a gateway drug to even more harmful ones, studies show increased crime rates in communities in other parts of the country that allow it, and the money the town might receive in sales tax would not be enough to offset problems that would arise.
Those who support allowing the sale and growing of recreational marijuana said it’s safer to have the drug grown legally because it will be cleaner than what’s available on the street.
Cannabis cannot be sold to those under 21. Rigorous advertising restrictions have been placed on cannabis products. Selling to anyone under age is a Class A misdemeanor and punishable by up to one year in prison and/or a fine up to $2,000.
Allowing someone under 21 to loiter at a cannabis store is punishable with a $1,000 fine on the first offense; subsequent offenses are a Class B misdemeanor.
Landolina said an ordinance allowing or banning the sale and cultivation of recreational cannabis could always be repealed at a later date. Should the town not do anything within a year, he said, the sale of recreational marijuana would be allowed by one establishment in any of the retail zones.
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