Reporter Keegan Kozolanka believes Wellington inner city council is ignoring residents' wishes.
This article was previously published on Elora Fergus Today.
Keegan Kozolanka covers Wellington County for EloraFergusToday.
Centre Wellington City Council's decision to continue the ban on cannabis retail stores in the town was a mistake.
The problem is, while this doesn't stop black market sales or keep it out of the hands of young people, it penalizes adults who want to buy legal product without having to drive to Arthur, Guelph or Kitchener.
Imagine the uproar if you had to do that for a bottle of wine.
Cities began deciding whether to allow or not allow retail marijuana about six years ago.
City councils had until January 22, 2019 to decide whether to allow cannabis dispensaries. Once a city or town gives the go-ahead, there's no going back.
At the time, the hesitation was understandable, as there was no clear idea of ​​what to expect. The local government had no real powers beyond being the voice of opinion on the application and restricting access to the 150 metre buffer zone around the school.
The then Centre Wellington Council was one of the councils that chose to secede in December 2018 by a 4-3 vote.
This comes despite the fact that the survey revealed that the majority of respondents – 64 percent of 1,600 people – support retail sales of cannabis.
The latest vote passed the proposal to ban marijuana dispensaries 5-2, which contradicts another survey that showed growing support for marijuana dispensaries, with 74 percent of 913 respondents in favor of them.
So why do this, going against what residents clearly want and what we currently know about the introduction of retail cannabis?
Municipalities that agreed to this would not end up like Sodom and Gomorrah, as people would be able to buy marijuana in stores.
Sure, it may seem like there are a lot of them in the bigger cities, but there are already signs in Fergus and Elora that this is not the case.
The Town of Erin initially opposed retail marijuana sales, but has since moved to support them. There are three marijuana dispensaries in the town.
Wellington Centre has limited commercial space available and certainly won't have any more.
Some lawmakers have cited the impact of marijuana on young people, but this is a largely unfounded argument.
Cannabis stores are heavily regulated; you can't see the products from the street and you can't even step inside more than a few steps without showing identification.
You know who doesn't check ID? Your local marijuana dealer.
Ask any teenager at Centre Wellington District High School and they'll tell you it's much easier to get hold of marijuana than it is to get hold of alcohol.
That dealership can also stay open because people don't have to drive 30 minutes to get there.
Given the choice, most people would prefer the safer, more convenient and legal option.
Councillors may lament the lack of oversight from city hall, but maintaining a (legal) cannabis ban means Centre Wellington City Council has accepted that it has no control over cannabis sales in the city.
