Salisbury City Council to hold special meeting on marijuana ordinance

SALISBURY, Md. – Salisbury City Council may settle where, and how, adult-use cannabis may be permitted in the city on Friday.

Ordinance 2840

In a vote that was pushed off Monday due to a lack of quorum, council members will discuss and decide on Ordinance 2840 during a special meeting. Along with setting rules for the zoning of cannabis establishments, the ordinance would prohibit any that allow on-site cannabis consumption.

“It sets into place the standards for how folks can use and then, of course, for those businesses to be able to get those licenses, and where actually cannabis can live, as far as to be able to purchase it,” said Council president D’Shawn Doughty.

Public Input Important to Process

During public comments on the ordinance, Doughty says residents honed in on ensuring such businesses would not be permitted near religious institutions or children. Doughty says residents also expressed concerns over which neighborhoods the establishments might find a home in.

“Typically, you see these types of businesses, like liquor stores, cannabis and smoke shops in more impoverished and disadvantaged areas,” said Doughty.

Building on, and for, Success

While the legislation looks to the future of Salisbury’s corner of the cannabis industry, looking into the past was also an important part of putting it together, says Doughty.

“Salisbury has been home to one business that has proven well in the community,” said Doughty of The Apothecarium Dispensary, formerly known as Peninsula Alternative Health. “They’ve been community partners, and it’s been a good relationship thus far. So, I think this is just one step further to make sure that we are regulating [cannabis businesses] in a responsible manner.”

Doughty says understanding that cannabis ordinances are not a one-size-fits-all matter, was also crucial.

“One ordinance for the city may not work for the county,” Doughty said. “The county has a lot more land use, where the city limits – we don’t have as much free space. So, we definitely have to define it in a responsible manner.”

The special meeting will take place at Salisbury City Headquarters at 3 p.m. on Friday, January 12th.