Wells, Maine Considers Allowing Recreational Marijuana Stores Amid Opposition
A local medical marijuana dispensary in Wells, Maine is seeking to convert its business into an adult recreational use cannabis store, but the proposal has raised concerns among members of the Wells Planning Board and some residents.
JAR Consulting, located on Route 1, is seeking to change the town’s zoning language to allow adult-use stores in the General Business District. Currently, only medical marijuana dispensaries are allowed in Wells, and voters have capped the number of them at three. JAR is one of the three dispensaries, along with Curaleaf and Hazy Hill Farm.
The dispensary’s owners argue that the medical market for cannabis is shrinking, and the adult-use recreational market is growing. They claim that allowing locally approved dispensaries to switch to adult-use cannabis sales would enhance community safety, reduce the likelihood of illicit market growth, and provide controlled access to cannabis for those who are eligible.
However, Planning Board members have expressed concerns about the potential impact of recreational cannabis on the community, including increased traffic, parking needs, and the possibility of medical patients having difficulty accessing their medication. Some residents have also written to the town expressing opposition to the proposal.
During a public hearing, JAR owner Joel Pepin responded to concerns about medical patients having difficulty accessing their medication, stating that many adult-use operators offer discounts to medical patients and that the dispensary would continue to service them through an adult-use storefront with the same product and pricing.
The Planning Board has voted to extend its workshop to gather more information and discuss the proposal further. Ultimately, the decision will be left up to Wells voters, who will decide whether to change the zoning language and allow adult-use stores to operate in the community.
