Weed is legal in CT, but some in Danbury area don’t want it sold in their towns. – Danbury News Times

Days after Gov. Ned Lamont signed legislation legalizing marijuana, some Danbury-area communities are taking a step back.

Newtown and Ridgefield plan to consider banning cannabis establishments, while Danbury looks to impose at least a temporary moratorium. Local police departments, meanwhile, are bracing for challenges, such as how to tell if someone is driving while high.

Danbury and Newtown officials say they arent saying no to cannabis establishments forever. Danbury officials say they want more time to decide how to regulate them or whether to prohibit them.

The best way to do that is to take a time out, said Sharon Calitro, the citys planning director.

Danbury took the same pause when Connecticut approved medical marijuana, but now allows these dispensaries and expects one to move to the city soon.

The stigma against pot has died down in recent years, said Carl Tirella, general manager of New York-based Acreage Holdings, which owns the medicinal dispensary moving to Danbury.

It has been amazing to watch the growth of the program from a few hundred patients to over 50,000 patients in just over seven years and with rec(reational weed) on the horizon, it shows Connecticut is continually open for growth and change, he said.

His companys Compassionate Care Center of Connecticut hopes to move from Bethel to Danbury by early August. The company is evaluating whether it would want to sell recreational marijuana, too, he said. Becoming a hybrid retailer comes with a $1 million fee.

The law goes into effect Thursday, with retail sales expected to begin in late 2022.

The Town of Prospects Planning and Zoning Commission already voted unanimously to ban cannabis establishments.

Newtown First Selectman Dan Rosenthal said hes fine with decriminalizing marijuana, but he doesnt want his town to be one of the first with recreational dispensaries. The Planning and Zoning Commissions public hearing on the issue is Thursday.

Its best to sit on the sidelines, see how it plays out, he said. If at some point in the future, the willingness is there to reconsider, then perhaps they do that.

Rosenthal and Ridgefield First Selectman Rudy Marconi said theyre worried about the message selling weed in town would send to young people. Pot is legal only for adults 21 and over.

Alcohol and vaping have been a problem among young people, Marconi said.

What I dont want to have happen is find ourselves in the same position with the use of weed or marijuana increasing and additional accidents for various reasons that have been experienced in some states that have passed it, said Marconi, who plans to recommend the Planning and Zoning Commission prohibit the sale of marijuana in town.

A 2019 study found marijuana use among youth may decline after its been legalized, while a 2020 study found minimal short-term effects of pot legalization on substance use among young people, with small declines in marijuana use and an increase in the likelihood of e-cigarette use.

The Danbury Zoning Commission will hold a public hearing on July 27 on the citys proposed temporary moratorium on applications, petitions and issuance of permits related to cannabis establishments. The commission will also consider amending the zoning regulations to include definitions related to cannabis.

The state will not begin issuing permits for recreational marijuana retailers until 2022, but businesses could still try to apply beforehand to open a dispensary in Danbury, Calitro said.

We have to get ahead of the curve, she said.

Existing regulations permit two medical marijuana dispensaries in the city, she said. One has already been approved and would not be affected, but new applications could not be submitted under the moratorium.

The moratorium would be in effect for a year at most, less if the city develops regulations on marijuana use sooner, she said.

The city will need to consider what affect weed establishments would have on certain areas in the city and the already permitted uses in those zones, Calitro said.

On the other hand, there is potential revenue to be had, she said. We have to weigh both things.

Newtowns existing regulations allow medical marijuana dispensaries, although the town does not have any, said George Benson, director of planning. The proposal would ban recreational and medicinal marijuana establishments.

Ridgefield prohibits medical marijuana facilities already, so the town must see how that ban is affected by the new law, said Richard Baldelli planning and zoning director and zoning enforcement.

The Brookfield Zoning Commission is expected to discuss how to handle the new law, said Nina Mack, land use administrative assistant. Existing regulations allow medical marijuana dispensaries with special permit approval, but they are not allowed to sell recreational weed without additional approval from the town.

Bethels existing zoning regulations do not permit cannabis to be grown or sold in town. Officials plan to discuss what to do now with legal counsel, said Beth Cavagna, town planner.

Bethel changed its zoning regulations to ban pot in 2014 after approving a medical marijuana dispensary, Compassionate Care Center of Connecticut the one moving to Danbury. Approval of that dispensary had been contentious at that time, but the new regulations did not affect it, Cavagna said.

Since then, the publics views on pot have changed, and the fears residents had over the dispensary did not play out, she said.

Weve never had issues over there, she said.

The dispensary is moving to Danbury because it needs a bigger space, Tirella said.

Some local police chiefs are worried the new law will make activities like traffic stops more difficult.

Redding Chief Mark ODonnell said police should have been better consulted on the law.

Im just dead set against it, he said.

Few officers in the area are trained to identify whether someone is driving while high on drugs, chiefs said.

It just hasnt been something thats been necessary by and large for quite some time, Danbury Chief Patrick Ridenhour said.

Its harder to test for marijuana than it is for alcohol. Officers must get trained as drug recognition experts, a lengthy, expensive process, Newtown Chief James Viadero said. Grants may be available to do so, he said.

Two officers in Newtown are trained as these experts, which is more than some departments have, he said. When police dont have one of these experts on duty, they call in officers from nearby departments, Viadero said.

Ridenhour said hes not sure whether any Danbury officers are trained as drug recognition experts maybe one is but more will need to be.

Well manage, Ridenhour said. We have to do everything we can for the safety of our residents and citizens and our visitors.

Cops can learn the law, but telling K-9s that weed is legal is harder. Police dogs cannot differentiate between pot and other drugs and could prompt an officer to search someone with a legal amount of weed, Viadero said. That could lead to lawsuits over claims of illegal search and seizure.

There is a possible Fourth Amendment issue, Viadero said. Were going to have to work through that.

Departments expect to get more guidance from the state Police Officers Standards and Training Council and will get feedback from officers in other states where marijuana has been legal.

Municipal employees, including cops, could still get in trouble for smoking pot.

Ridgefield plans to create a new policy based on the law, Marconi said. ODonnell is reminding his officers, too.

Its still a federal crime, ODonnell said. Police officers cant smoke marijuana regardless of if its legal here or not...Not that I worry about our personnel. Theyre all pretty good.

Reporters Alyssa Seidman and Shayla Colon contributed to this report.

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Weed is legal in CT, but some in Danbury area don't want it sold in their towns. - Danbury News Times