{"id":2273,"date":"2021-11-08T19:54:35","date_gmt":"2021-11-08T19:54:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/CBMiamh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lm1pZGRsZXRvd25wcmVzcy5jb20vbG9jYWwvYXJ0aWNsZS9OZXctRmFpcmZpZWxkLWltcG9zZXMtMS15ZWFyLWJhbi1vbi1yZXRhaWwtd2VlZC0xNjYwMzIwNi5waHDSAQA"},"modified":"2021-11-08T19:54:35","modified_gmt":"2021-11-08T19:54:35","slug":"new-fairfield-imposes-1-year-ban-on-retail-weed-businesses-middletown-press","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/?p=2273","title":{"rendered":"New Fairfield imposes 1-year ban on retail weed businesses – Middletown Press"},"content":{"rendered":"
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NEW FAIRFIELD \u2014 While some towns have prohibited cannabis enterprises looking to do business within their borders, New Fairfield has decided to follow suit of other municipalities and temporarily ban retail cannabis.<\/p>\n

Connecticut legalized recreational adult-use of marijuana<\/a> in July, leaving municipal zoning boards with the decision of allowing, banning or imposing moratoriums on retail cannabis businesses.<\/p>\n

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Some towns have gone the prohibition route, while others like Danbury<\/a> have imposed temporary bans. Newtown was the first in the area to prohibit cannabis establishments back in July<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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In addition to allowing people 21 years and older to possess certain amounts of marijuana for recreational use and medical marijuana program patients to have three mature marijuana plants and three smaller plants in their home, the new law allows for the opening of retail cannabis businesses \u2014 but only at the discretion of municipalities.<\/p>\n

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When the New Fairfield Zoning Commission opened a public hearing in September<\/a> to get input on what the town should do, two residents spoke in favor of prohibiting retail cannabis shops \u2014 citing concerns about such businesses\u2019 impact on youth and the town\u2019s \u201cintegrity.\u201d<\/p>\n

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One expressed concern about marijuana being \u201ca gateway drug.\u201d According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention<\/a>, though, \u201cthe majority of people who use marijuana do not go on to use other, \u2018harder\u2019 substances.\u201d<\/p>\n

There was one resident, however, who argued that the presence of such businesses would not make youth access to marijuana easier than it is now and said allowing retail cannabis in New Fairfield could actually benefit the town.<\/p>\n

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\u201cThe town could certainly use additional tax revenue,\u201d he said. \u201cOur taxes go up every year, in part because our downtown is not necessarily as thriving as it could be. A business that generates some revenue could be good for the town overall.\u201d<\/p>\n

According to Zoning Commission Chair John Moran,\u201cthe town would get 3 percent of every sale\u201d if a cannabis business were to open.<\/p>\n

Under the law, municipalities may also, up to 30 days after the opening of a cannabis business, charge the owner up to $50,000 \u201cfor any necessary and reasonable costs incurred by the municipality for provision of public safety services in relation to such opening.\u201d<\/p>\n