{"id":5156,"date":"2022-03-20T20:03:45","date_gmt":"2022-03-20T20:03:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/CBMiY2h0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lm5ocmVnaXN0ZXIuY29tL3Nob3JlbGluZS9hcnRpY2xlL0tlZXBpbmctcmVzaWRlbnRzLXNhZmUtaXMtdGhlLXByaW9yaXR5LW9mLTE3MDE1MjkyLnBocNIBAA"},"modified":"2022-03-20T20:03:45","modified_gmt":"2022-03-20T20:03:45","slug":"keeping-residents-safe-is-the-priority-of-madisons-new-marijuana-advisory-committee-new-haven-register","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/?p=5156","title":{"rendered":"Keeping residents safe is the priority of Madison’s new Marijuana Advisory committee – New Haven Register"},"content":{"rendered":"
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MADISON \u2014 The health and safety of residents is the number one priority of the newly-formed Ad Hoc Marijuana Advisory Committee, according to Chairman Bruce Wilson.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe want everybody in our community to be safe,\u201d Wilson said after the committee\u2019s first public hearing, March 15.<\/p>\n

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With that in mind, Wilson, hopes for more input from the public and town agencies.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe want everybody in our community to be informed,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

Wilson represents the Board of Selectman on the committee. The selectman joins six other board and commission members, three residents and six town staff liaisons, including representation from Madison Youth and Family Services, Madison Police Department and Madison\u2019s Health Department.<\/p>\n

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The committee was formed in response to a state law passed July 2021 that legalized recreational marijuana in Connecticut.<\/p>\n

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Retail sales could begin in Connecticut by the end of 2022.<\/p>\n

Currently, towns are deciding on whether to allow retail sales and commercial growing.<\/p>\n

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According to the law, Madison may have one retail marijuana establishment and one commercial grower. The legislation allows one retailer and one producer per 25,000 residents until June 30, 2024 .<\/p>\n

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The committee can decide to allow more in the event the state increases the number allowed in the future, Wilson said.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s up to the town to decide on how many within the limits of the current law.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe could allow zero, we could allow one, we could allow 10,\u201d said Wilson. \u201cWe can allow any amount we want. But, if we do anything more than one, you\u2019re only going to get one at least until 2024.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\u201cThe legislature made the rules, they can change the rules,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

In addition, there are decisions to be made regarding sales tax on the products.<\/p>\n

\u201cAre we going to put in place a 3 percent sales tax as provided by the state law, as well,\u201d said Wilson.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe can choose to put a sales tax in place, but then not allow a facility,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd then if that ever changed, and we did allow it, the sales tax would be in place.\u201d<\/p>\n

Wilson talked about educating the public about all aspects of marijuana.<\/p>\n

\u201cMarijuana as a legal substance is new in our society – legally,\u201d Wilson said. \u201cThere are going to be a whole new group of people who would not imbibe because it was illegal, but now that it is legal, may try it.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\u201cI think that the town needs to pick up the challenge of educating those people who might be in that group and say this is what you need to know before you make the choice,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

The potency has greatly increased over the years, Wilson said.<\/p>\n

The allowable amount of THC, the main ingredient of cannabis, is currently 30 percent for dried flowers and 60 percent for concentrates.<\/p>\n

This is compared with average potency in 1980 of 2 percent, 3 percent in 1990 and 6 percent in 2003.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey are fundamentally different substances and I don\u2019t think that is well known,\u201d Wilson said. \u201cI think that is one of the facts that we have to get out.\u201d<\/p>\n