MILLBURY, Ohio — Lake Township is one of the first in Wood County to pass legislation banning cannabis distribution stores in its jurisdiction, Township Administrator and Chief of Police Mark Hummer said.
The township's board of trustees voted 2-1 to pass the resolution, eliminating the possibility of the retail storefronts in the community.
But when it comes to the residents of Lake Township, Issue 2 in the state, passed by a margin of about 55-45%.
Hummer said the storefront ban does not override the ballot item's legalization of recreational marijuana.
"It doesn't prohibit the possession, the use or home growing in Lake Township," he said. "It's just restricting where stores can be."
Lorie Davis was the sole trustee to vote against the now-passed resolution. Ken Gilsdorf and Richard Welling make up the three-person board with Davis.
Davis provided WTOL with the following statement about her vote:
“By prohibiting adult use cannabis operators and medical marijuana cultivators, processors, and retail dispensaries within the unincorporated areas of Lake Township, business opportunities have been taken away from the township. I feel the industry can bring in a lot of business, employ township residents, and when properly regulated, studies have conclusively decided that marijuana is safer than alcohol or tobacco."
After working in law enforcement for more than 40 years, Hummer said he does not believe cannabis operators, retail dispensers and medical marijuana growers in Lake Township would cause more problems than usual. And, he believes the opportunity to overturn this resolution is a possibility in the future.
But for now, his job is to enforce the legislation set in place by elected officials.
"I've gotten in a lot more fights by people who were drinking alcohol than were smoking pot and so we just have to work through the bumps and we will be fine," Hummer said.