By Sue Ellen Woodcock
The City Council held a public hearing at its meeting last week on a proposal to ban the sale of recreational marijuana in Revere, and only one resident stood saying he supported the proposed ban.
The recreational marijuana issue was referred to the council’s Legislative Affairs committee after a public hearing, which will also enlist the input of the city solicitor.
“We need to start taking a stand,†said Council Vice President Patrick Keefe.
Resident Al Terminiello spoke at the hearing, and said the city gave a double-sided license when it granted one to a medical marijuana facility. It is the understanding that the medical marijuana facility can change its license to allow recreational sales.
“Where was the mindset when you gave it too them.†he said, even though the current council is not the one that granted the license. “I just felt that Revere should have been beyond all this.â€
Keefe agreed and added that her doesn’t think anybody knew about the ability to switch the license from medical to recreational.
The proposed ban on recreational marijuana includes marijuana cultivators, independent testing labs, marijuana product manufacturers, marijuana retailers and other types of licensed marijuana-related businesses.
Keefe has noted in the past that the statewide ballot Question 4 voted on in 2016, sought to make the recreational use of marijuana legal, on the November 8 ballot was passed by the statewide, but failed in Revere with 10,184 ’no’ votes and 9,142 ‘yes’ votes.
The medical marijuana dispensary planned for Railroad Ave. would be grandfathered. The business has not opened yet, and has just one more step to take with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, which grants the medical marijuana license.
