With the growing number of U.S. states and cities legalizing the medical and recreational use of marijuana, the steady trickle of other states and cities following suit comes as no surprise. Weed dispensaries are now popping up in cities all over the United States, and Titusville, Florida, can now be counted as one of them. The passing of Amendment 2 back in 2016, as voted on by the residents of Florida, made this possible.
Diverging Opinions
Although the setting up of medical weed dispensaries in Titusville is now approved, the road there wasn’t all welcoming. After months of debates and a couple of moratoriums, the Titusville City Council’s voting resulted in three approvals out of five. The two city council members who opposed the proposed decree were Sarah Stoeckel and Mayor Walt Johnson.
Despite her opposition, Stoeckel has made it clear that she supports the medical use of marijuana, and she wants residents in the city to have access to it through weed dispensaries. She already knows from her research that citizens who need marijuana already have access to it in Edgewater, a neighborhood in Miami.
Johnson, on the other hand, has been adamantly and vocally opposed to the proposition of constructing weed dispensaries from the very beginning. He believed that the voters were heavily influenced, and the issue was put on by rich citizens with controversial motives. The mayor even went as far as to brand the medical marijuana affair as a “big hoax.” He was referring to the Amendment 2 voting in November 2016 that saw over 70% of voters in Florida supporting the said amendment.
Greener Grass on the Other Side
Meanwhile, in contrast to Johnson’s statement, Titusville City Council member Dan Diesel brought up the staggering number of voters who backed the amendment in November 2016. Diesel said the council studied the matter “long and hard” and after a couple of moratoriums, he voted for “what’s best for the people.” Diesel also reassured that it is unlikely for weed dispensaries to start popping up in numbers.
Other cities in Florida that allowed the construction of weed dispensaries included Satellite Beach, Palm Bay and Rockledge. Brevard County will also open weed dispensaries in March following the decision of county commissioners to lift the moratorium on such facilities. This should give those in need in Florida enough accessibility to medical marijuana, even if the number of marijuana dispensaries will somehow be limited.
Adherence to Same Rules
Whatever the case may be, whether the medical marijuana dispensaries will start mushrooming in the city or not, they will have to be treated in the same manner as pharmacies. They need to adhere to the same regulations as pharmacies, though with some added restrictions placed.
Weed dispensaries will need to be 500 feet away from schools at the very least. They are also not open for 24 hours. This is because of a policy governing the dispensaries to only be allowed to distribute medical marijuana from 7 a.m. till 9 p.m.
