Ron Strider
Well-Known Member
The Bridgewater Town Council has voted to ban the retail sale of recreational marijuana but to allow the cultivation of the product following a long meeting that drew a large crowd.
The vote was highly anticipated by residents, who filled the Town Council chambers and spilled into an overflow room where they watched the proceedings on a large closed circuit TV screen.
The proposed zoning ordinance being considered by the council when the Dec. 19 meeting began sought to ban the sale and cultivation of recreational marijuana, but that measure did not get the required two-thirds vote to become law.
Councilor Peter Colombotos then suggested the amendment allowing cultivation, which had been in the proposed language before it was deleted at an earlier meeting, as a way to get the required votes.
It worked.
The council reconsidered the measure, voting 6-2 in favor of banning the sale but allowing the cultivation, testing, and manufacture of recreational marijuana.
Town officials and residents had debated the issue for the last four months, and councilors listened to many Bridgewater residents and business owners as they weighed in on the proposed ban for nearly three hours.
Many residents spoke in favor of the ban, saying that they didn't want their children to be around recreational marijuana or that they feared the damage marijuana shops would have to their town's reputation.
"I implore you to stand on the side of good health practice," said resident Sam Baumgarten.
Several supporters of the medical marijuana dispensaries in town, Theory Wellness and Alternative Compassion Services, said they feared how those businesses would suffer once the state allows recreational marijuana and patients are able to obtain the drug without the added cost of seeing a doctor.
Those supporters were opposed to the proposal to ban cultivation of recreational marijuana. They said that without the medical dispensaries' ability to grow recreational marijuana for sale in other towns, the businesses they relied on to get medical marijuana would suffer.
Others who support recreational marijuana sales said the town would miss out on tax revenue.
"Why are you going to stop a farmer from selling his crops?" asked resident Elizabeth Girard.
A majority of Bridgewater voters opposed recreational marijuana legalization in the 2016 statewide election, with 51 percent opposed and 49 percent in favor of legalization.
News Moderator: Ron Strider 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Bridgewater ban recreational marijuana sales but allow cultivation - The Boston Globe
Author: Jill Terreri Ramos
Contact: Support Home Page
Photo Credit: Steven Senne
Website: The Boston Globe
The vote was highly anticipated by residents, who filled the Town Council chambers and spilled into an overflow room where they watched the proceedings on a large closed circuit TV screen.
The proposed zoning ordinance being considered by the council when the Dec. 19 meeting began sought to ban the sale and cultivation of recreational marijuana, but that measure did not get the required two-thirds vote to become law.
Councilor Peter Colombotos then suggested the amendment allowing cultivation, which had been in the proposed language before it was deleted at an earlier meeting, as a way to get the required votes.
It worked.
The council reconsidered the measure, voting 6-2 in favor of banning the sale but allowing the cultivation, testing, and manufacture of recreational marijuana.
Town officials and residents had debated the issue for the last four months, and councilors listened to many Bridgewater residents and business owners as they weighed in on the proposed ban for nearly three hours.
Many residents spoke in favor of the ban, saying that they didn't want their children to be around recreational marijuana or that they feared the damage marijuana shops would have to their town's reputation.
"I implore you to stand on the side of good health practice," said resident Sam Baumgarten.
Several supporters of the medical marijuana dispensaries in town, Theory Wellness and Alternative Compassion Services, said they feared how those businesses would suffer once the state allows recreational marijuana and patients are able to obtain the drug without the added cost of seeing a doctor.
Those supporters were opposed to the proposal to ban cultivation of recreational marijuana. They said that without the medical dispensaries' ability to grow recreational marijuana for sale in other towns, the businesses they relied on to get medical marijuana would suffer.
Others who support recreational marijuana sales said the town would miss out on tax revenue.
"Why are you going to stop a farmer from selling his crops?" asked resident Elizabeth Girard.
A majority of Bridgewater voters opposed recreational marijuana legalization in the 2016 statewide election, with 51 percent opposed and 49 percent in favor of legalization.
News Moderator: Ron Strider 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Bridgewater ban recreational marijuana sales but allow cultivation - The Boston Globe
Author: Jill Terreri Ramos
Contact: Support Home Page
Photo Credit: Steven Senne
Website: The Boston Globe
