Ahead of vote on marijuana dispensaries, Mansfield council members attend webinar
Mansfield City Council is scheduled to vote June 4 to impose a six-month moratorium on marijuana dispensaries.
Several council members received more background on the issue during a Monday afternoon webinar by the Ohio Municipal League.
"Our goal from the government side is to get the best information out there," said Andrew Makoski, an attorney for the Ohio Department of Commerce.
In the Nov. 7 general election, the ballot measure called Issue 2 passed with 57% of the vote, making Ohio the 25th state to legalize marijuana for adult recreational use.
Ohio's law on adult-use marijuana is now effective, and sales should begin between June and September throughout the state.
The department of commerce's division of cannabis control is finalizing rules on implementation of the program. Ohio gives certain rights to local governments related to adult-use operators in their community.
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Several Mansfield City Council members attend marijuana webinar
Council members Cheryl Meier, El Akuchie, Deborah Mount and David Falquette attended the webinar in council chambers.
Makoski said there are 215 marijuana dispensaries in Ohio, with another 180 to 200 licenses pending. Existing medical marijuana medical facilities can apply for a dual-use license. For context, there are about 500 liquors stores in the state.
Bonus licenses will be for additional dispensaries for adult-use marijuana that do not yet exist.
Applications for dual licenses will open June 7, with approval likely to happen in late June or early July, Makoski said. There is no time frame for when they would open.
Applications for bonus licenses are expected to be considered in September.
"This is a serious process," Makoski said, noting several states had rollouts that did not go well.
Dispensaries must be at least a mile from each other and 500 feet away from such places as schools and libraries.
Joining Makoski on the webinar were John Oberle and Samuel Porter, partners in Ice Miller's Government Affairs and Regulatory Law. Oberle noted the firm was the lead author on Issue 2.
"The premise was to regulate marijuana like alcohol," he said.
Porter said local governments can limit the number of adult-use dispensaries. Regarding current medical operators, local officials can pass an ordinance within 120 days after such a facility has received a license for adult use.
"We really are about giving governments some control," Oberle added. "We thought it made sense to give voters a chance as well."
Porter said there will be a 10% state excise tax applied at the point of sale at adult-use facilities. Local government will receive 36% of that 10%.
There are limits to what local governments can do.
Oberle said if there is a university medical center that is doing research, such work will be allowed to continue without additional fees.
Regarding home grow, there is a cap of 12 plants per house.
At the same time, landlords can prohibit the use of marijuana or growth of the plant in a lease agreement. Private property and business owners can also prohibit the use.
In addition, smoking prohibitions already in place in Ohio will remain.
"It was interesting to hear what the different rules at the state were that I didn't really understand previously," Falquette said. "I'm still kind of up in the air about what the right thing to do is."
Meier agreed with her colleague.
"I don't know that it has swayed my opinion one way or the other, but it was informational," she said of the webinar. "I think it's our duty to get as much information as possible."
mcaudill@gannett.com
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This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Mansfield City Council members attend webinar on marijuana
