Massachusetts voted to legalize recreational marijuana on Nov. 8, 2016. Since then, all 351 cities and towns have struggled with their responses to the growth, processing, packaging, and selling of this drug, which remains federally illegal under the Controlled Substances Act. As of June 2018, 232, or 67 percent, of those cities and towns had instituted permanent or temporary bans. The decision to move slowly, or not at all, likely reflects the novelty of these operations and our lack of experience with them.
The Town of Hadley is scheduled to consider a recreational marijuana zoning by-law at its Town Meeting on Thursday, Oct. 18 at 7 p.m. at Hopkins Academy. Also, the Planning Board has scheduled a public hearing on the proposed by-law on Tuesday, Oct. 16 at 7:15 p.m. at the Senior Community Center. I urge all concerned citizens to attend these meetings to inform themselves of the many issues surrounding marijuana establishments, and to vote at the Town Meeting.
I also urge citizens to consider a more, rather than less, restrictive by-law as recommended by the Planning Board Chairman at its Oct. 2 meeting. As we proceed along this uncharted path, corrections and adjustments will become apparent only after by-law enactment. It is therefore better that we have a more restrictive set of regulations that can be relaxed or adjusted if experience dictates. Enactment of a less restrictive initial by-law would be much more difficult, if not impossible, to strengthen. This is crucial decision for Hadley, its citizens, and its neighborhoods.
David L. Adams
Hadley