Voters in New Limerick overwhelmingly agreed Tuesday to ban retail marijuana stores and commercial cultivation plants within the town limits.
New Limerick residents passed a new town ordinance prohibiting retail stores, commercial cultivation and social clubs in the community by a vote of 55 in favor and 12 opposed. There are 445 registered voters in the community, according to Town Manager Judy Nightingale.
In Ludlow, however, a similar ordinance failed to meet with the town’s approval, albeit by a narrow margin.
Ludlow residents shot down the proposed ordinance to regulate retail marijuana, commercial cultivation and social clubs with a vote of 63 in favor and 66 opposed. There are about 332 registered voters in the town.
Even though a statewide, citizen-led referendum made recreational marijuana legal last year, no related businesses can officially open at least until February 2018 while the state develops rules to implement the law.
Possessing and growing marijuana for recreational use now is legal, but buying or selling it is not until the new regulations are implemented. A private citizen, who is over the age of 21, is allowed to grow up to 12 marijuana plants at their residence for personal use.
New Limerick’s ordinance does not prohibit individuals from trying to grow industrial hemp, nor does it apply to medical marijuana growers, since they are regulated by the state.
