WORCESTER COUNTY, Md. -- The Worcester County Commissioners have implemented emergency legislation to increase the minimum distance between new dispensaries and certain facilities. The decision, made during a recent commissioner meeting, has sparked mixed reactions within the community.
Under the new regulations, newly established dispensaries in Worcester County must maintain a minimum distance of two thousand feet from schools, libraries, public parks, childcare centers, playgrounds, and pre-existing dispensaries.
Eden McMullen, who lives in Berlin, expressed support for the stricter regulations.
"I think there's nothing wrong with that really, I think weed should be away from the children," said McMullen.
The emergency legislation passed unanimously after a public hearing at Tuesdays commissioner meeting. It also includes a ban on on-site consumption. The decision to prohibit on-site consumption was influenced by discussions with the state's attorney and the sheriff's office, who concluded that the lack of a court-approved method to test drivers for cannabis intoxication necessitated erring on the side of caution.
McMullen downplayed the significance of the on-site consumption ban.
"It's[cannabis] been shunned for so long, it can stay that way," said Mcmullen. "It's not the end of the world to not have a weed bar, I don't think there's really a need for that."
However, not everyone in the community shares McMullen's sentiments. Chris Joseph expressed disappointment in the ban.
"I feel like they're missing out on the cannabis bars big time, like cafes or anything," said Joseph. "It's like a bar, people like to lounge, people like to have fun."
While many Worcester County residents support the idea of distancing cannabis establishments from areas frequented by children, there are those who see on-site consumption as a missed opportunity for social spaces.
In a related development, Wicomico County also passed cannabis legislation, imposing a one-thousand-foot distance requirement between new dispensaries and existing schools. The legislation in Wicomico allows dispensaries to open in both industrial and commercial-zoned areas, and like Worcester County, it passed unanimously.