Lysander residents comment on cannabis – Eagle News Online

BALDWINSVILLE – Lysander city residents spoke about New York State’s new law to legalize recreational cannabis use by adults at the Lysander City Council meeting on June 3rd.

Under the Marihuana Regulation and Taxation Act (MRTA), municipalities must decide whether to allow establishments to sell cannabis products or to consume them locally. Communities wishing to refuse to sell or use cannabis must pass local law by the end of the year.

Several residents spoke out in favor of allowing pharmacies in the city, but opinions about self-consumption differed.

“Personally, I am in favor of a pharmacy in the city of Lysander,” said resident Steve Aiken, citing the benefit of the additional tax revenue for the city.

Aiken said of smoking lounges: “I guess I’m not for that. I don’t even know what the appeal of something like that would be. “

Former Highway Commissioner Gene Dinsmore said he was against legalizing cannabis but admitted the city would benefit from tax revenues.

“Personally, I’m appalled that we even have this law, but the governor and the legislature put it into effect so we might as well not hide our eyes from it,” he said. “I don’t think there’s anything you or any of us can do to stop it, so we might as well take advantage of it.”

Resident Cindy Clarke agreed that the tax revenue from cannabis sales would be a blessing.

“Now that it’s legal, people are going to smoke it anyway. They’re going to buy it somewhere anyway, ”she said. “I grew up in the prime and never saw it as a gateway drug or anything like that. … It is here, it is now, we have to deal with it and we may as well take advantage of the benefits it could potentially bring to our community. “

Clarke said she was “not crazy about” facilities that allow on-site consumption.

Resident Gail Tosh, who previously ran for both the Lysander Town Board and the NYS Assembly, said she recently completed a road trip across the country. She shared her observations on recreational cannabis use in other states.

“This is a hot topic in a lot of different places I’ve been to,” she said. “One of the problems was when people bought their marijuana, there was no place for them to consume it. If there was a place to eat, people would come. “

Resident Mark Rubin said his medical marijuana card had changed his life.

“It’s adult use. It’s not a toy. It’s better than alcohol, ”said Rubin. “It relieves stress, pain, anxiety, and cancer problems. It’s an amazing thing compared to the chemicals [in pharmaceuticals]. “

In addition to the health benefits Rubin cited, Matt Hunt, vice president of the Heritage Insurance Agency and president of the Greater Baldwinsville Chamber of Commerce, said recreational cannabis could boost tourism and boost the local economy. He shared what he has learned from the insurance industry about the impact legalization has on communities.

“Studies actually show that in other states that have legalized cannabis, the areas where they have set up pharmacies and the like have actually improved quite a bit,” he said. “Whatever concern there is about the ‘bad element’ there might be in legalization, you are essentially getting rid of that element. You’re not bringing the guy in on the street corner. You will have doctors or business people. “

Mayor Bob Wicks said he recently spoke to the owner of a cannabis dispensary in Worcester, Massachusetts that “looks like an Apple Store”.

Kevin Rode, a past resident who has run for town council and clerk, said the town should consult with the village of Baldwinsville because part of the village is in Lysander.

“The commercial part / business part [of the town] is more in the village, and when the village decides to log out, the city is placed in a unique area. Where would you place the zoning? ”Asked Rode.

Wicks said the city has not yet discussed the issue with the village but noted that villages can referendum on the issue while cities cannot.

“The law is a little confused,” he said.

City Attorney Tony Rivizzigno said a municipality could change its zoning laws to allow pharmacies. Municipalities cannot opt ​​out of allowing retail stores and smoking lounges until the end of the year, but towns, villages, and towns that opt ​​out now could opt-in later. A municipality may not change its zoning laws in such a way that pharmacies or smoking rooms are expressly excluded.

As for on-site use, Wicks said the question remains for law enforcement to determine how cannabis affects a driver. He said the difference between a bar serving alcohol and a smoking lounge is that a person may have a drink or two and still operate a car, but that may not be true after smoking a joint or Has consumed edibles.

The MRTA reiterates that driving with cannabis impairment is still a crime. The law stipulates that an academic institution will conduct research on technology to identify impairment caused by cannabis.