Marijuana and Sutton – May 2018 Sutton Town Meeting

Marijuana and Sutton – May 2018 Sutton Town Meeting

The May 2018 Sutton Town Meeting is gearing up to be even more contentious than ever, because Sutton will be tackling a fairly serious issue. It’ll be laying out the regulations for the existence (or non-existence) of marijuana “establishments”. That is, places where one could buy or use marijuana for non-medical purposes.

Here is the warrant (the “things to be discussed”) for the meeting on Monday, May 14, 2018 at 7pm in the Sutton High School auditorium:

May 2018 Warrant for Sutton Town Meeting

It’s important to note that there are some things Sutton residents CANNOT VOTE ON at a local level – they are guaranteed in the entire state of Massachusetts unless state laws change. So these things are, according to a presentation by the Sutton town officials:

Personal Use and Growing IS LEGAL
The town can’t take away a person’s personal right to use marijuana in their own home or to grow it in their own home. If the person is over 21, they have that right.

Medical Marijuana IS LEGAL
The town can’t take away the right for medical organizations to dispense medically required marijuana. Sutton does have regulations to make sure this is done in an attentive manner.

The areas where Sutton CAN vote and take action involve the use of RECREATIONAL marijuana outside of a person’s home. So this would be things like a store which sold brownies with marijuana in them. A store which sold actual marijuana to adults. A “cafe” where people could gather to eat or smoke marijuana. A research facility which tested out different types of marijuana for recreational use. These would all be within Sutton’s realm of voting on.

There are THREE articles up for vote in the May 14, 2018 meeting which relate to recreational marijuana.

Article 15 – seeks to allow research and growing, but NOT anywhere where consumers could come to buy or use recreational marijuana.

Article 16 – seeks to ban ALL recreational marijuana businesses.

Article 17 – seeks to ban ALL recreational marijuana businesses.

Each article would require a 2/3rds vote by those present (who can vote, of course) to pass.

The default situation is that these types of businesses would be allowed in a generally business-zoned area. For example, a marijuana cafe could go into the mall area along with the Starbucks on Route 146.

Be sure to read up on the situation and attend the town meeting to be heard! Whatever your vote is, vote! All voices should be heard on this.

Image notes: used with permission – Blausen.com staff (2014). “Medical gallery of Blausen Medical 2014”. WikiJournal of Medicine 1 (2). DOI:10.15347/wjm/2014.010. ISSN 2002-4436. – Own work