Health advocates urge voters to go slow on marijuana voting to avoid marijuana lock-in

For Immediate Release

Physicians, Families and Friends Education Fund, a physician led association of concerned members of the public, is urging the public to go slow when considering whether to vote in favor of marijuana sales in local communities.

A statute adopted last year authorizes each town and city to vote to allow retail or reject marijuana sales.

According to the James Dumont, an attorney advising Physicians, Families and Friends, “Many Vermonters may not know that under that new state law, once a community votes “yes” and a marijuana retailer sets up shop, that retailer can continue to sell marijuana in your community forever.”

Dumont explains that the statute creates a “marijuana lock-in” for every marijuana retailer who sets up shop. “That means that if the community finds out this was a bad decision, because of the public health effects or anything else, the community can vote to change its mind — but not for any retailer already in business. The community is locked-in forever to that retailer.”

Physicians, Families and Friends is informing the public of this defect and calling on the legislature to change the statute to allow a “yes” vote to be followed, later, by a “no” vote that means something, if the public finds that the results have been unacceptable to their community. Until the statute is changed, Physicians, Families and Friends is calling on cities and towns to hold off on approval.

Physicians, Families and Friends also urges voters to go slow for another reason. Most towns and cities do not have zoning in place now to regulate where retail sales of marijuana should be allowed. It’s treated the same as any other retail store.

“Properly regulated marijuana sales have been approved by our legislature,” Dumont explains, “and part of that proper regulation is local zoning.”

“Some Vermont towns and cities may decide that it’s not a good idea to allow marijuana sales in all the same locations as general retail is currently allowed, such as next to schools or playgrounds. You should have the right zoning in place first, and then hold a vote to authorize sales, so that voters know where it would happen and so that, once it starts, it is in the right locations.”

Once voters say “yes,” Dumont warns, and a store is located in a part of town that later zoning changes say is inappropriate, “the horses will be out of the barn.”

Contact:

Steve Waldo (802) 886-9275, (802) 356-4399, Steve597@vermontel.net Anne Hassel (413)-537-3062 annehasselpt@gmail.com; or James Dumont, Esq. (802) 349-7342
Physicians Families and Friends Education Fund, PO Box 4521, Burlington, VT 05406-4521.

Image courtesy of Public domain

2 thoughts on “Health advocates urge voters to go slow on marijuana voting to avoid marijuana lock-in

  1. Just what Vermont needs!!! Just what America needs! As we continue to deal & reel from our decades-long addiction crisis’s, the VT legislature “nobly” took the opportunity to legalize & advocate for yet another mind altering intoxicant for the masses – weed!

    Worried about the opioid crisis here? How about alcoholism & associated DUI’s that maim & kill innocents annually? Got a cigarette, friend? That addiction alone costs tens of thousands of lives per year.

    What’s a dim-witted law maker to do? Why encourage MORE drug use, abuse, & addiction, of course. Congrats to all you “liberal” thinkers out there who keep electing these morons into office.

    Thanks. For NOTHING.

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