OCEAN CITY, Md. -- At a work session on Tuesday, May 30th, town officials began a discussion about possible limitations to marijuana use. Particularly for any potential future on-site consumption stores.
On-site consumption would be someone going into a shop, purchasing cannabis and being able to use it at the location they bought it from. A "weed bar" if you will.
Some people we spoke with said they fear this could lead to a dangerous mix of behavior, while others see it as a potential 'cash cow' for Ocean City.
As July 1st, the first day recreational marijuana use will be legal, creeps closer, town officials want to get ahead of where we could buy and consume pot. Justin McLean said he is not on board with an on-site use business model.
"When you're drinking alcohol and all the parties is going on down here, it just makes it even more wild if you mix the alcohol with the cannabis," said McLean.
McLean is also concerned about the effect marijuana, specifically the smell or availability of it, would have on minors.
"We got a lot of younger people down here, so I'm sure younger people could get to it, they always find a way to get to it," said McLean.
If a younger person was to walk by and smell pot, Thomas Rouse sees it as an chance to educate.
"The parents are going to have to be involved, but I see it as an opportunity to educate younger people on the pros and cons of medical marijuana," said Rouse.
Rouse also sees a possible "weed bar" model as a potential treasure chest for the town.
"I can see it almost developing like a Starbucks, a series of Starbucks," said Rouse. "A shop where you can go in, choose a strain, choose a flavor that you like and then maybe enjoy it right then and there," said Rouse.
The future of marijuana use in Ocean City is still very much up in the air. Tuesday's discussions were only at a work session, so nothing official was decided.
The next council meeting is on June 5th, the meeting agenda has not been released, but that is the first time the council could make a decision.