ELLSWORTH — City councilors agreed to hold a workshop on state adult use marijuana laws and local regulation of marijuana establishments, after Councilor Robert Miller raised the topic at an April 19 council meeting.
“It’s finally out there and it doesn’t seem to be going anywhere,” Miller said, later asking, “Do we want something like this and how would we work it into our town?”
Sixteen states, including Maine, have legalized adult use recreational marijuana “and two more are coming,” Miller said, while 40 states allow medical marijuana. The city already has medical marijuana businesses.
“The face of it is changing,” Miller said.
Councilor Gene Lyons weighed in: “I’m against marijuana, but I’m all for business. So, if it’s a legal business, have at it.”
While legislation in Washington seeks to legalize marijuana, possessing it is still a federal crime, and Councilor Michelle Kaplan compared the issue to so-called Second Amendment sanctuary cities. The Council earlier this year discussed declaring Ellsworth a Second Amendment sanctuary, a measure proposed by Kaplan, who said she was concerned future laws could infringe on gun owners’ constitutional rights. The Council voted against that proposal, with city officials noting that federal law trumps municipal action.
“We can’t pick and choose what federal laws to follow. Why can we do it for marijuana?” Kaplan…
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ELLSWORTH — City councilors agreed to hold a workshop on state adult use marijuana laws and local regulation of marijuana establishments, after Councilor Robert Miller raised the topic at an April 19 council meeting.
“It’s finally out there and it doesn’t seem to be going anywhere,” Miller said, later asking, “Do we want something like this and how would we work it into our town?”
Sixteen states, including Maine, have legalized adult use recreational marijuana “and two more are coming,” Miller said, while 40 states allow medical marijuana. The city already has medical marijuana businesses.
“The face of it is changing,” Miller said.
Councilor Gene Lyons weighed in: “I’m against marijuana, but I’m all for business. So, if it’s a legal business, have at it.”
While legislation in Washington seeks to legalize marijuana, possessing it is still a federal crime, and Councilor Michelle Kaplan compared the issue to so-called Second Amendment sanctuary cities. The Council earlier this year discussed declaring Ellsworth a Second Amendment sanctuary, a measure proposed by Kaplan, who said she was concerned future laws could infringe on gun owners’ constitutional rights. The Council voted against that proposal, with city officials noting that federal law trumps municipal action.
“We can’t pick and choose what federal laws to follow. Why can we do it for marijuana?” Kaplan…
