MIDDLETOWN PHARMACISTS MAY SELL MEDICAL MARIJUANA - WHEN IT BECOMES
LEGAL IN CONNECTICUT

MIDDLETOWN - Pharmacists are now allowed to sell marijuana in
Middletown, but only if and when the state legalizes the drug for
medicinal use.

The Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously passed a zoning
amendment Wednesday that permits the sale of "marijuana or medical
marijuana" if the state legalizes its use, but only by licensed
pharmacists at a pharmacy in certain zones of the city.

Deputy Director of Planning, Conservation and Development Michiel
Wackers explained that only licensed pharmacists with doctoral degrees
could dispense marijuana, and only at pharmacies in certain zones of
the city. The zones were focused along Washington, Newfield and South
Main streets, away from the city core.

Before the vote, the item was open for a public hearing, but no
residents stepped forward to comment. Commissioners considered adding
several changes to the regulation, but ultimately decided to pass it
as written.

Carl Bolz proposed adding language that would allow Middlesex Hospital
to dispense marijuana. But later in the discussion, Bolz opted to vote
on the amendment as written to save time, as long as it could be
amended later.

Others had different concerns.

"I'm concerned about Middletown going on record as acknowledging a
medical use for marijuana," said Commissioner Ken McClellan.

"We are not legalizing anything," countered Richard Pelletier. "We are
in no way trying to pass a law saying that medical marijuana is a
wonderful thing, or it is even good."

Some commissioners also questioned the language of the rule, inquiring
about the distinction between medical and nonmedical uses for the drug.

"Marijuana is marijuana," at least three commissioners - McClellan,
Les Adams and Barbara Plum - said during the discussion.

Either way, Adams said, "It's illegal. I don't believe in this medical
marijuana or marijuana."

Wackers explained that the goal was to have regulations in place
before the state legalized medical marijuana. Without the regulation,
he said, a storeowner could announce their intent to sell medical
marijuana once the legislature allows it. Then, Wackers said, that
person would be grandfathered in under any regulations the city
introduced later.

"As staff we see this as a perfectly acceptable use of zoning," he
said. "We can't take away rights," Wackers said. "Right now it's not
legal and it can't be done, but we're looking to create certainty. And
there was a lot of confusion in this legislative session about this
area."

On numerous times in the past few years, he said, state politicians
have seriously considered passing a law that would allow it.

Wackers explained that this was the third time the commission had
considered an amendment restricting the sale of medical marijuana. The
first the commission considered was an outright prohibition of the
drug, but some commission members thought that was too strict, he
said. Later, the commission considered a regulation that allowed
pharmacies to obtain a special exemption from the commission, but that
was "probably too confused and muddied," Wackers said.