Trustees unanimously vote to prohibit cultivators, processors and dispensaries in the village

By Jordyn Grzelewski

jgrzelewski@vindy.com

POLAND

Although medical-marijuana sales now are legal in Ohio, it will not be made or sold in the village.

Council unanimously voted Tuesday to prohibit marijuana cultivators, processors and dispensaries in the village. The township also has banned such facilities from operating there.

Councilwoman Linda Srnec said that although she is not opposed to the use of medical marijuana, she voted to ban those facilities from operating in the village due to safety concerns.

“I think it’s a good thing we put this in place because we’re a very small town,” she said. “Putting [a ban] in place keeps it out of our small town and gives us a little protection.

Councilman Joe Mazur was blunt: “We want none of that in the village.”

Medical-marijuana sales became legal last year after Gov. John Kasich signed a law authorizing doctors to prescribe it to patients with certain qualifying conditions, including cancer, multiple sclerosis and AIDS. The state is in the process of implementing a number of regulations for those who apply for a limited number of cultivation, processing and dispensing permits.

The state will license 12 large cultivation companies, 12 smaller-scale cultivators, 40 processors and 60 dispensaries.

Other local governments in the Mahoning Valley, including Youngstown, Lowellville and Hubbard, have approved legislation in support of medical-marijuana facilities operating there.

The state law making medical marijuana legal gives local governments the authority to prohibit or limit the number of dispensaries permitted.

The state will award cultivator licenses later this year. Medical marijuana is expected to be available to patients by September 2018.

In other business, council issued a proclamation honoring the winners of the Junior League Softball World Series. The Poland team, representing the Central region, won the championship earlier this month.