BRUNSWICK — The Planning Board on Tuesday approved a conditional use permit for Lucky 777 Lab, the town’s first marijuana extraction business and it’s third distributor of medical marijuana.

In this image from the TCE Labs X Lucky 777 Facebook page, since taken down, a driver appears to display a marijuana bong while driving on Interstate 295. The Times Record

Extraction involves using heat and fuel to to break marijuana down into oils, allowing the creation of products such as ingestible pills and edibles.

The business will be at 119 Orion St. at Brunswick Landing, and will operate more like a doctor’s office than a retail facility, according to owner Peter Bouchard. According to the conditional use permit application, Bouchard plans to have five employees.

“Given the aging population of Brunswick, I believe the cannabis business will bring younger workers who have a keen interest in this industry,” Bouchard said in his application. “Between our Auburn location and the Brunswick facility, we can offer a younger demographic the opportunity to learn both sides of the cannabis industry. Brunswick should get these workers possibly living in the town.”

According to the application, Lucky 777 grows marijuana in Auburn.

Prior to Tuesday’s meeting, questions had been raised regarding offensive posts made on a Facebook page called “TCE Labs X Lucky 777 Labs.” According to The Times Record, an individual using the screen name Weed Jesus, who previously consulted for Lucky 777 Lab, posted racial slurs and photos of a bong being held behind the wheel of a car while the driver was traveling down Interstate 295 at approximately 70 mph.

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According to Bouchard, Lucky 777 does not have a Facebook page and has no affiliation with the posts.

“(The Facebook posts) were not brought up at the meeting,” Matt Panfil, the town’s director of Planning and Development, said during a phone call on Wednesday. “The focus for the Planning board was for the contents of the conditional use permit. Our focus is clear and the character of the business is not necessarily under review during this phase.”

Concerns that the board had regarding the permit were focused around the logistics of the site, whether there would be adequate parking, and safety code issues. Because the permit includes an extraction facility, the Fire Department must also inspect the property.

According to the application, Bouchard expects about 12 to 15 daily patients. Deliveries would happen twice a day during normal business hours.

Currently, the town ordinance states that medical marijuana facilities must be in the Growth and Industrial Zoning District and there must be a minimum separation of 500 feet from an existing school.

Brunswick’s other medical marijuana businesses are Stone Coast Cannabis at Cook’s Corner and Elevated Remedies, which plans to open on Industrial Parkway at Brunswick Landing this year. The town does not have any recreational facilities because state rules are still being worked out, according to Panfil.

The next step in the process for Lucky 777 is to obtain the proper licensing.

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