Lancaster opts out of Cannabis Retail Dispensaries

[Lee Chowaniec]

Lancaster’s town board voted unanimously to opt-out of Local Law No.6 of 2021 titled “A Local Law to Opt-Out of Allowing Cannabis Retail Dispensaries and On-Site Consumption Sites as Authorized Under Cannabis Law §131.”

Councilmember Robert Leary resolution sponsor cited several reasons for the opt out proposal:

Safety – Funding to pay for experts to do stops for individuals high on marijuana has not been approved.

Timing – Law is still a few years away from enactment.

Public Hearing – Residents receiving medical marijuana and favoring opting in need to hear of the changes considered by the Cannabis Control Board to provide better access and treatment.

Automatic Enrollment – If the town did not opt out now (by December 31) it is automatically enrolled and cannot opt out at any time in the future.

Permissive Referendum – "This ultimately puts the decision in the hands of the residents, where it belongs", declared Leary. He asked Town Attorney Loftus to explain the process.

Supervisor Ruffino interjected that the town is preparing as if we were opting in should we decide or another board to do so. “We are working with Code Enforcement to change the zoning as if we are opting in.”

[Lee Chowaniec]

Cannabis Referendum - Lancaster Bee

Lastly, Leary said this is a process best tended to by the citizens. “This is actually a decision that can be made by the residents of the Town of Lancaster. If anyone runs a permissive referendum, they can get that put on, where there will actually be a vote for the residents of Lancaster on this issue. For me, ultimately, the people should have the say in how this is conducted.”

Lancaster Town Attorney Kevin Loftus explained the process and its time limits. “This local law can’t take place until a 45-day time period. That’s the state regulation for the permissive referendum.” He added, “You have to get at least 10% of the qualified voters that voted in the last governor’s election. That would trigger a townwide vote on the issue.”

[gorja]

Well, here we go

https://www.wgrz.com/article/money/b...6-8fd416baa7b2

Petition aims to allow Town of Lancaster cannabis sales
The business owner who started the petition says he needs to get around 1,900 signatures to get the issue on the ballot.
LANCASTER, N.Y. — A Western New York vape shop owner is starting a petition to try to let voters decide whether cannabis sales should be allowed in the Town of Lancaster.
At Monday night's Lancaster Town Board meeting, the board voted unanimously to opt-out of allowing cannabis dispensaries and on-site consumption.

Before they voted, a board member said if they opt-out, they can always opt back in, and he mentioned that anyone could start a petition to put a referendum on the ballot to let voters decide. He said ultimately the residents should have the say.

So Cloud Chasers Vapor Lounge owner and New York Cannabis Growers and Processors Association member Thomas Snider, who supports the sale of cannabis, started a petition.

"All I hope for is that it can be put to a vote and the residents can decide. If the residents decide they don't want it, then it's been decided by the residents. If they do decide that they want it, then again, it's been decided by the residents that live here," Snider said.

Snider was one of the many people who spoke at Lancaster's public hearing in October in support of cannabis sales.

"It's really just about letting the people make the decision on something as large as this. In all of the responses that I've heard for people wanting to opt in, you know, there's tax revenue that we're going to be missing. Also, I think it's important to state that black market sales of illicit THC have been going on for decades, decades, decades," Snider said.

In order to get a referendum on the ballot, it's based on how many people voted in the last governor's race. Snider says he has to get about 1,900 signatures of people who live in the Town of Lancaster and are registered voters, but he wants to get more to be safe.

"I think the majority of people that want to be in this space for legalized cannabis, they are approaching it with integrity and empathy for the end user, you know, this is, opting out only allows you to opt-out of retail and on-site consumption. It doesn't give any town the right to stop somebody from using cannabis," Snider said.

Cities, towns, and villages have until the end of the year to decide whether they want to opt-out of cannabis sales when dispensaries are allowed to open in the state.

[Lee Chowaniec]

The Marijuana Side Effect That Doctors are Seeing Surge

FYI

https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/med...?ocid=msedgntp

[Lee Chowaniec]

75 WNY towns and villages have opted out of NYS recreational marijuana program
WKBW

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — If a city, town, or village wants to opt out of certain portions of New York's adult marijuana laws, it must do so before the end of the year. Opting out means a dispensary or on-site smoking location would be prohibited from setting up shop in that town. A person could still legally consume marijuana in a municipality even if it opted out.

A database from the Rockefeller Institute of Government shows over 240 towns villages and cities in Western New York and whether or not it has opted in, out, or has not made a decision. According to the database, of the eight counties in Western New York, 14 municipalities have opted into allowing dispensaries, 75 have opted out and more than 150 have not made a decision.

If a municipality does nothing by the end of the year, it will be automatically opted into the state's recreational marijuana program.
The Town of Hamburg is one of those municipalities that has yet to make a decision. On December 13th, the towns next town board meeting, the board will determine their stance.

“I'm inclined to say that we're not quite ready for parlors for on-site consumption, but we are ready for a major dispensary. We certainly have the available space,” said Hamburg Supervisor James Shaw.

Comment

Lancaster’s town board voted unanimously to opt-out of Local Law No.6 of 2021 titled “A Local Law to Opt-Out of Allowing Cannabis Retail Dispensaries and On-Site Consumption Sites as Authorized Under Cannabis Law §131.”

Permissive Referendum – "This ultimately puts the decision in the hands of the residents, where it belongs", declared Councilmember Leary. Leary said this is a process best tended to by the citizens. “This is actually a decision that can be made by the residents of the Town of Lancaster. If anyone runs a permissive referendum, they can get that put on, where there will actually be a vote for the residents of Lancaster on this issue. For me, ultimately, the people should have the say in how this is conducted.” He asked Town Attorney Loftus to explain the process.

Town Attorney Loftus: “This local law can’t take place until a 45-day time period. That’s the state regulation for the permissive referendum.” He added, “You have to get at least 10% of the qualified voters that voted in the last governor’s election. That would trigger a town wide vote on the issue.”

Such referendum petition has been undertaken.

[shortstuff]

The Marijuana Side Effect That Doctors are Seeing Surge

FYI

https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/med...?ocid=msedgntp

According to the legalization & addictions.com, and according to pragmatic common sense, "A number of negative impacts are associated with the legalization of marijuana. Greater accessibility for the drug would likely lead to more use. It's also likely that marketing of marijuana would include children and teenagers, which would lead to more young people using drugs." Legalization of cannabis is a gateway to hardcore drug use.

Repeat cannabis use leads to addiction, traffic deaths from driving high, and the user is physically & mentally harmed. The cost to society outweighs its tax revenues.

[gorja]

It looks like Transit Rd is the dividing line except for the villages.