{"id":122,"date":"2021-07-07T07:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-07-07T07:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/CBMiZWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lm5ld3N0aW1lcy5jb20vbG9jYWwvYXJ0aWNsZS9OZXd0b3duLXByb2hpYml0ZWQtdGhlLWxlZ2FsLXdlZWQtdHJhZGUtdGhlLXNhbWUtMTYyOTk0ODkucGhw0gEA"},"modified":"2021-07-07T07:00:00","modified_gmt":"2021-07-07T07:00:00","slug":"newtown-prohibited-the-legal-weed-trade-the-same-day-it-was-decriminalized-in-ct-heres-why-danbury-news-times","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/?p=122","title":{"rendered":"Newtown prohibited the legal weed trade the same day it was decriminalized in CT. Here’s why. – Danbury News Times"},"content":{"rendered":"
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NEWTOWN \u2014 Leaders here were concerned enough about the unintended consequences of Connecticut\u2019s legal marijuana trade <\/a>that they saw no downside to being first in the Danbury area to prohibit cannabis establishments.<\/p>\n

At the suggestion of First Selectman Dan Rosenthal, who said, \u201cthe prudent approach is to prohibit cannabis establishments until we better understand the dynamics of the new law,\u201d the Planning and Zoning Commission held a public hearing<\/a> on July 1, the same night that Connecticut decriminalized marijuana.<\/p>\n

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After hearing testimony from a state senator, a union leader, the town\u2019s health director, the head of a substance abuse prevention nonprofit and Rosenthal, the chairman of the Planning and Zoning Commission suggested a moratorium on retail cannabis establishments and medical marijuana facilities starting Dec. 1.<\/p>\n

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George Benson, the town\u2019s planning director, recommended swifter action.<\/p>\n

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\u201cWe should act to prohibit it tonight, and it can be revisited later,\u201d Benson said.<\/p>\n

The volunteer five-member Planning and Zoning Commission agreed, voting 4-1 to prohibit cannabis enterprises looking to do business in town, such as cultivators, producers, retailers, and medicinal dispensaries.<\/p>\n

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Newtown\u2019s prohibition will not affect adults who may now have marijuana for their own use.<\/p>\n

Under the new state law<\/a>, people who are 21 and older may have 1.5 ounces of marijuana with them and up to five more ounces of marijuana in a secure location, such as their home or car. The law allows patients in Connecticut\u2019s medical marijuana program to have three mature marijuana plants and three smaller plants in their home \u2014 a provision that will extend to the general adult public in 2023.<\/p>\n

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Although the retail sales of adult-use marijuana are not expected to begin in Connecticut until the end of 2022, Benson said during the public hearing that Newtown was \u201cconcerned about people filling out applications or purchasing buildings, giving them vested rights before regulations could be put in place.\u201d<\/p>\n

The state has created a cannabis website<\/a> to help people understand the new law.<\/p>\n

Rosenthal said towns across the state have been having the same debate<\/a> since the state Senate passed the \u201cextensive and groundbreaking new law\u201d on June 22.<\/p>\n

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\u201cWhile I have no issue with the legalization of the possession of cannabis, there is more at stake here as we consider the retail sale,\u201d Rosenthal wrote in a letter that was read at the public hearing. \u201cWe have one chance to get this right and trying to do so in the span of two weeks does not make for good public policy.\u201d<\/p>\n