{"id":2530,"date":"2021-11-20T11:06:41","date_gmt":"2021-11-20T11:06:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/CBMiV2h0dHBzOi8vd3d3LnRoZWhvdXIuY29tL25ld3MvYXJ0aWNsZS9OZXctQ2FuYWFuLVAtWi1iYW4tY2FubmFiaXMtc2FsZXMtb25lLTE2NjM1NzU2LnBocNIBAA"},"modified":"2021-11-20T11:06:41","modified_gmt":"2021-11-20T11:06:41","slug":"new-canaan-commission-bans-all-cannabis-sales-businesses-in-town-thehour-com","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/?p=2530","title":{"rendered":"New Canaan commission bans all cannabis sales, businesses in town – Thehour.com"},"content":{"rendered":"
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NEW CANAAN \u2014 If residents want cannabis, they\u2019ll have to go outside town limits to buy it.<\/p>\n

The Planning and Zoning Commission moved to ban all cannabis \u2014 recreational and medical \u2014 establishments this week, revising a previous moratorium that just addressed medical marijuana.<\/a> The commission\u2019s decision, which will go into effect Dec. 17, is consistent with the state law legalizing the use of cannabis earlier this year that gave towns the option to prohibit sales.<\/p>\n

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The commission broached this topic before when it voted in April 2019 to permanently ban medical marijuana <\/a>dispensaries and production facilities. The latest text amendment to the regulations now broadens it to all cannabis. The commission had scheduled a public hearing <\/a>in September on the topic, but no residents participated.<\/p>\n

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Commissioner John Kriz, who made the motion for the text change, said it\u2019s consistent with present regulations and \u201csimply an expansion of the concept to include all marijuana sales<\/a>, not just for medical purposes.\u201d<\/p>\n

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He argued it reduces the potential for cannabis sales, though the town \u201ccannot regulate the use,\u201d according to the state law.<\/p>\n

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To rationalize the move, Kriz said the new text is in keeping with the town\u2019s Plan of Conservation and Development regulations, since sales would \u201cbe a potential challenge to public health and safety<\/a>.\u201d He raised concern that the sale of cannabis in town may spur the \u201cpotential of use in the streets,\u201d which could lead to the \u201cpossibility of a contact high,\u201d for passersby.<\/p>\n

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