Four Solid Reasons to Vote No on September 19

Four solid reasons to Vote No on the September 19 referendum in Milford:

The will of the people. Last November a comfortable majority of Milford voters supported the retail sales of cannabis. Last May Town Meeting imposed tough but fair regulations on where retailers could open in Milford. The referendum is a “third bite at the apple” for cannabis opponents.

A “Yes” vote will kill jobs in Milford. Maybe the proposed ban would not close medical marijuana growers in Milford immediately but it would explicitly prevent any of those businesses from expanding to grow marijuana for legal retail distribution. What rational businessman would stay in a location where he cannot expand in order to make a profit? MilfordCARES and other pro-ban organizations are filled with people who just a few years ago opposed medical marijuana. If they prevail on September 19, what is to stop these organizations from going to Town Meeting next May to try to kick medical marijuana businesses out as well? No new business would come to Milford and existing businesses would leave for less hostile towns. MilfordCARES would not care but the dozens of people who lose their jobs certainly would.

Police resources should be used to stop illegal opioids distribution and sales, not to chase potheads.

Do not reward cynical and manipulative local government. Legal retail sales cannot start until July 2018 so why have a single issue referendum in September? The Selectman calculated that they could quickly sell “reefer madness” to voters who have been told their entire lives that marijuana is bad before any meaningful opposition could organize. Basic fairness would have required that this issue be voted upon during the regular April Town election.

Stop opioids, save jobs, follow the will of the people. Vote No on September 19!

Bryant Hopkins

Milford