Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Aston gives green light to pot-growing business
Commissioners Wednesday night unanimously adopted an ordinance to amend the township zoning code to provide regulations for the growing and processing of medical marijuana.
Principal stipulations of the ordinance state that a facility may only be located in the Limited Industrial district, be at least 1,000 feet from a school or day care center, and be in a fully enclosed and secure structure not accessible to minors.
In addition, there can be no visual exterior evidence of any medical marijuana growing facility.
The ordinance also states that indoor medical marijuana growing activity may include harvesting marijuana plants and the drying of flowers, but shall not include extraction procedures to produce concentrated THC, except as may be authorized under the Medical Marijuana Act for holders of permits.
The name of the person applying for the facility has not yet been made public.
Medical marijuana is not to be confused with the kind of cannabis that is smoked, but rather is
prescribed by a physician in the form of pills, oils, creams and a nebulizer to provide relief to individuals with a host of problems including but not limited to cancer, Multiple Sclerosis, Autism, Parkinson’s disease, ALS, and seizures.
Residents in attendance were overwhelmingly in support of the ordinance, with many stepping to the microphone to express appreciation to the board of commissioners.
Catherine Warren, 73, a registered nurse, was the first to speak and raved about the help that medical marijuana provides to those who are ill.
And 45-year Aston resident Michelle Saunders agreed.
“Not only am I proud of the board for being so progressive,” said Saunders. “I am also proud of the residents because I came here tonight expecting this to be a battle and I see this is a community that cares. I had a cousin in Florida that we just visited who was dying and we saw what the medical marijuana did for him the last weeks of his life. We only wish that he could have had it sooner. To sit here and hear you all support this makes me so proud to live in Aston.”
Last week, commissioners Vice President Mike Higgins said the board was contacted recently by a party who is interested in securing a location in the township for the growth and processing of marijuana intended for distribution to wholesalers.
Higgins said he was not at liberty to disclose the name of the individual who submitted the application just yet because state permits have yet to be approved, as the process is still in the very early stages.
There will eventually be 50 dispensaries in 67 counties statewide that will be strictly enforced. And, approximately 20,000 people will be medically eligible to use the services.
Co-sponsored by state Rep. Nick Miccarelli, R-162, of Ridley Park; Sen. Daylin Leach, D-17, of Lower Merion; and Sen. Mike Folmer, R-48, of Lebanon; Gov. Tom Wolf signed the medical marijuana bill into legislation on April 16, 2016, which permits Pennsylvania residents to acquire medical marijuana.
The bill made Pennsylvania the 24th state in the United States to permit the use of medical marijuana.
Wolf said in addition to helping ill individuals, a primary objective of the legalization of medical marijuana is to attempt to decrease opioid abuse which, over the past 10 years, has skyrocketed in the state.
Maggie Fauver said the state of Delaware has a medical marijuana program where she is a patient and also works in the industry.
“One of these facilities is as secure as any facility possible can be,” she said. “There’s no banking institution or pharmaceutical company that is more secure. The CVS does not have the type of security that a dispensary even would and in this instance it is not a dispensary, so there will be no public access. There are no security concerns. This will be a tremendous help to people as I have seen lives improve immensely.”
Michelle Taylor thanked the board and said her daughter, who is epileptic and stops breathing, does not react well to regular pharmaceuticals.
“She was sedated for two weeks with a ventilator while they tried to find a concoction, taking the pharmaceuticals to toxic levels,” Taylor said. “She’s doing well, but I know she will outgrow the medicine. One day, my daughter can very well be in need of this treatment. You are bringing hope and I thank you.”
Resident Joe Pretti, a police officer, did warn commissioners that these types of facilities do encourage criminal behavior.
“I’m not here to debate what medical marijuana does and I’m actually glad the township enacted an ordinance,” Pretti said. The only thing I’m here to let you know is that medical marijuana facilities do bring crime to the town and I’m happy to provide you with the information.”
While reading the ordinance, Solicitor Beth Naughton-Beck added that any facility of this nature will be, via the ordinance, electronically connected directly to the police station where it can be constantly monitored.