Pubdate: Tue, 02 Oct 2012
Source: Rutland Herald (VT)
Copyright: 2012 Rutland Herald
Contact:  http://www.rutlandherald.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/892
Author: Gordon Dritschilo

ALDERMEN APPROVE DISPENSARY BAN

Selling marijuana will remain completely illegal in the City of
Rutland.

The Board of Aldermen voted unanimously Monday to approve an ordinance
banning medical marijuana dispensaries and the growing of marijuana
for such dispensaries within city limits. There was no debate on the
measure, which had unanimously cleared the Public Safety Committee the
previous week.

Act 65, which authorized the licensing of four medical marijuana
dispensaries around the state, allows municipalities to opt out by
using either zoning or an ordinance to forbid such facilities.

Registered medical marijuana patients will still be able to grow their
own or have a designated caregiver do so. They will also be able to
become members at dispensaries that open in other communities. Two
have been licensed so far -- one in Burlington and one in Waterbury.

In the committee hearing last week, the aldermen heard from Police
Chief James Baker that such dispensaries had become crime magnets in
other states. Some aldermen said they had not heard from any medical
marijuana users in the city saying they wanted a dispensary nearby
because they were incapable of growing their own, but would reconsider
their positions if such people came forward.

Alderman Sean Sargeant speculated that Rutland County's relatively low
concentration of licensed users might make it unlikely that the county
would be targeted for a dispensary.
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