By James Lomuscio
A proposed ordinance to prohibit any marijuana business other than a medical marijuana dispensary in Westport had its first reading tonight before the Representative Town Meeting (RTM).
The introduction of the ordinance by members Greg Kraut, District 5, and Jimmy Izzo, District 3, followed approval last June by the Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) of a medical marijuana facility at 1460 Post Road East, site of the former Coco Spa, which has yet to open. (See WestportNow June 15, 2018)
During the lengthy debates that preceded the P&Z approval, one side called it a compassionate, cultural achievement, the other a cultural abandonment with the town on the road to becoming “Westpot.”
Kraut and Izzo argued tonight that the latter could happen if the legislative body does not take action against recreational marijuana businesses.
“Everything we feared has come true,” said Kraut. “That company immediately sold their business to the Walmart of recreational marijuana.”
In early January, West Haven-based Advanced Grow Labs (AGL), parent company of Bluepoint Wellness of Westport LLC, which in December received a state license to open as a medical marijuana dispensary in Westport, sold a major stake in the business to Chicago-based cannabis company Green Thumb Industries (GTI).
The deal was valued at about $80 million. AGL and Bluepoint Wellness are owned by Westporter David Lipton. GTI is a public company traded in Canada.
Kraut said medical marijuana dispensaries are “a pretext to recreational, which has happened here.”
He cited Gov. Ned Lamont’s support for legalizing recreational marijuana and six bills submitted to the General Assembly to that effect, including one by state Sen. Bob Duff of Norwalk.
Kraut said the ordinance is needed since none of the state’s bills has any “opt-out features” for municipalities.
“It’s no longer responsible to take a wait-and-see mentality,” Kraut said.
He added that the argument that recreational marijuana would add to the state’s coffers does not play out, especially since “state and local police have concerns about enforcing and testing.”
Izzo said he is looking forward to the debate on the RTM floor, adding that the “Westport brand is something” to preserve.
“I’m very worried this could be a bad thing,” Izzo said about the possibility of a recreational marijuana business in town.
“This (ordinance) would be sensible marijuana control,” he said.
RTM Moderator Velma Heller said the proposal would be referred to the legislative body’s ordinance and health and human services committees before being revisited at a future meeting.
