Boardman trustees table medical marijuana dispensaries for a year

BOARDMAN

Boardman trustees approved a moratorium on medical marijuana dispensaries in the township.

Trustees said they had no issue with legislation allowing the cultivation and processing of medical marijuana, but they don’t have enough information for retail dispensing. The temporary ban will only last a year as more information about retail dispensaries is sought.

“I think we’re doing our due diligence and we’re keeping an eye on how the law basically develops in the state and this is a good way to kind of slowly follow how this develops,” said township Administrator Jason Loree.

Ohio House Bill 523, which legalized medical marijuana statewide, took effect last September. The medical-marijuana program is set to be fully operational by September 2018. In the meantime, the law allows Ohioans with certain medical conditions to obtain marijuana from other states, such as Michigan.

Other local governments in the Mahoning Valley, including Youngstown, Poland Village, Hubbard City and Campbell and Austintown townships, have already started discussions on either allowing or prohibiting medical marijuana.