Why are government officials in Augusta spending my money looking for solutions to problems that don’t exist? I’m referring to the efforts last week of city councilors to impose a 180-day moratorium on medical marijuana storefronts in Augusta. The City Council states that the “emergency moratorium” was necessary or else Augusta will be overrun by medical cannabis shops. City Attorney Stephen Langsdorf points out there are already open stores in Manchester, Hallowell and Gardiner, but not Augusta, and that medical cannabis shops are all over the place.

How many is all over the place? The total number of medical marijuana dispensaries for Maine is just eight, which is regulated by state law. That seems exceeding low to me. So what’s the emergency? There are already rigid regulations for medical marijuana mandated by the state. What additional regulations need to be considered?

This backward position is held despite the fact that medical marijuana has been legal for 19 years in Maine and in all that time not one single medical cannabis shop has been opened in Augusta,

Councilor Harold Elliott of the third war, a member of the committee working on these emergency rules, is using typical scare tactics by making things up. He wants to convince others that without emergency action by the council, these shops will be popping up on every corner, in ever neighborhood all over Augusta. Nonsense.

Elliott should know enough to know that can’t happen. If he doesn’t, he shouldn’t be on the committee. Which begs the question, “Who on the committee has real-life experience with the medical marijuana program?”

I’m looking forward to this committee’s progress. I will be at every city meeting armed with questions, because I’m sick and tired of all of the governmental tactics that delay and restrict my access to necessary medication.

Kevin Jones

Augusta

Copy the Story Link