North Branford Mulls Lifting Moratorium on Medical Marijuana

NORTH BRANFORD, CT – Town officials have begun to compile a list on possible areas in town that would be conducive for growing and distribution of medical marijuana. A moratorium on allowing medical marijuana in North Branford expires in June of this year.

At the most recent Planning and Zoning Commission meeting, Town Planner Carey Duques told zoners she will get to work on compiling information on possible locations - for review at upcoming meetings in case officials want to lift the moratorium

That moratorium went into effect in June of 2017 and is set to expire in June of 2018.

Currently there are more than 23,000 medical marijuana patients in the state, being served by dispensaries in nearby Branford, among others.The other dispensaries in the state are in Hartford, Waterbury, Bethel, South Windsor, Uncasville, Bristol – and two in Milford.

There are over 800 participating physicians.

While the towns that have housed medical marijuana facilities have almost unanimously said the businesses have been good neighbors, the facilities have not been welcome everywhere.

In Guilford last year, the Planning and Zoning Commission voted to to amend the zoning code and add a section banning medical marijuana dispensaries and production facilities in town.

While there was no immediate request to establish a dispensary in Guilford, the group Guilford Development Assets for Youth (DAY) had been pushing for a preemptive ban.

The program works to discourage young people from engaging in substance abuse and underage drinking, and teens affiliated with the program had appeared before the Guilford PZC to voice their opposition to the possibility of a dispensary here.