The Brunswick Town Council on Monday extended for another six months a moratorium on retail marijuana operations and medical marijuana storefronts.
Last year’s statewide citizens’ initiative allows for personal marijuana use as well as various retail operations. The personal use portion of the law is already in effect and is applicable to people 21 and older.
However, state lawmakers are still wrestling with how to regulate the retail sale of marijuana. On Monday, the Legislature reportedly sustained Gov. Paul LePage’s veto of a bill that could have implemented a regulatory and taxation system for retail pot.
Many municipalities have been waiting to see what comes out of Augusta before crafting their own ordinances to regulate the retail sale of marijuana, or allowing marijuana social clubs and manufacturing facilities.
Other communities have declared an outright ban of retail pot sales.
Brunswick previously decided to wait until March 2018 to craft an ordinance based on what the state implements.
Melissa Fochesato told the council Monday that enforced ordinances and laws reduce the rates of marijuana use by youth. Fochesato is a member of the town’s marijuana working group, but said she was speaking as a private citizen with experience as a substance abuse prevention specialist.
“Protecting youth is a top priority, and it’s the only reasonable solution at this point,” she said of extending the moratorium.
The town’s marijuana working group is willing to consider marijuana growing and cultivation facilities, as long as the buildings are limited to industrial zones and not viewable from Bath Road or Route 1. The committee has not reached a consensus on retail stores.
The group has reviewed policies, consulted with town managers and planning directors of towns in California and Oregon that have dealt with certain issues stemming from retail marijuana legalization, as well as researching the economic impacts of legalization.
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