HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ohio -It is expected that City Council will approve legislation prohibiting the cultivation, processing and dispensing of medical marijuana in Highland Heights.
Council heard the first reading of the prohibitive legislation at its meeting Jan. 24, the same night that the council in its neighboring city, Richmond Heights, approved legislation to welcome the medical marijuana industry within its borders.
“It’s not acceptable within our city, and we have some safety concerns about it, too,” said Highland Heights Council President Cathy Murphy. “I’m not opposed to the use of medical marijuana when it’s appropriate, but it’s (the industry) not right for our city.
“We’re a small city and there’s no area we could identify that we think would be appropriate for it,” Murphy said. “We feel it would not be compatible with the types of businesses we have in the city.”
The state legislature voted in June, 2016, to make the use of medical marijuana legal in Ohio. Some guidelines and procedures have been devised since that time.
At the Richmond Heights Committee-of-the-Whole meeting of Jan. 24, Walter, Haverfield lawyer Susan Bungard, an expert on the subject of medical marijuana, told council that there is a proposal that there be 24 cultivation sites established throughout Ohio. Cultivation would take place indoors.
Richmond Heights Councilman Donald O’Toole commented that the Richmond Town Square, which includes a vacant Macy’s building and a soon-to-be-vacated Sears building, might make deneme bonusu a nice cultivation site.
Richmond Heights representatives, seeking to add revenues, are also open to processing and dispensing sites in their city.
State Sen. Kenny Yuko, D-25, of Richmond Heights, told council that the city of Eastlake is also making a push to show its support of the medical marijuana industry in order o increase revenues.
Richmond Heights Council voted to approve legislation to repeal its moratorium on medical marijuana business in the city on Jan. 24, although it wasn’t originally scheduled to vote that night on the matter. Council believed it would be best to act sooner than later to Gorabet show those seeking permits to grow and process medical marijuana that Richmond Heights wants to be considered for such business.
On Dec. 13, Highland Heights City Council held a Committee-of-the-Whole meeting during which the topic was discussed. Police Chief James Cook recommended to council that the city should not engage in the medical marijuana business.
“With the problems we’ve been having with drugs in the community, and with drug enforcement, I didn’t think it was prudent,” Cook said on Tuesday. “I believe it’s a stepping stone into other activities we don’t want to see take place in our community.”
Cook noted that marijuana use of any kind is still against federal law. Yuko, at the Richmond Heights meeting, stated that because it is against federal law, guns cannot be used for security within the medical marijuana industry.
Yuko is a supporter of medical marijuana use and believes such use should be approved across the nation.
Although Highland Heights is expected to become one of the first Ohio communities to state its desire not to be part of the business, those living in the city will still be able to use medical marijuana.
In accordance with state guidelines, doctors will not be able to prescribe medical marijuana, but can only recommend its usage. Bungard said the state has recognized 24 diagnoses under which medical marijuana can be prescribed, including a catch-all diagnosis of “chronic pain.”
“All the details haven’t been finalized,” said Highland Heights Councilwoman at-large Lisa Stickan. “A business of this nature may interfere with our residential integrity and the integrity of our businesses. We have to preserve that balance. I don’t think it’s in our best interests.”
Stickan noted that Highland Heights City Council, at its committee meeting, was unanimously against allowing the medical marijuana business into the city.
“This is unusual in that the state is allowing cities to prohibit the cultivation, processing and dispensing of medical marijuana,” Murphy said. “Usually with a state law, cities aren’t given a choice.”
It is expected that Highland Heights City Council will vote to prohibit medical marijuana business from taking place in the city at its meeting Feb. 28.
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