Canton Zoning Commission Adopts Medical Marijuana Rules

The Canton Zoning Commission has adopted medical marijuana regulations designed to provide safeguards not included in a recently passed state law. 

While the federal government does not recognize such laws, the state bill, effective Oct. 1, allows for the medical and subscribed use of marijuana for those with conditions such as cancer, HIV/AIDS, Multiple Sclerosis, Spinal Cord injuries, epilepsy and more, assistant town planner Roland Klee told the commission Wednesday night. It also specifies that only a user or register caregiver can get the product from a licensed pharmacist and sets up other conditions of use, Assistant Town Planner Roland Klee said. 

However, Canton has now followed towns like Torrington and Middletown that have specified it can also only be sold within the confines of a pharmacy. In Canton it would also require a special exception application go the commission.  

In addition, the town, largely for security reasons, wanted to regulate the production of the drug, should one of the limited number of growers the state will allow want to locate in Canton, officials said. 

"The regulation that is being proposed for Canton would require the growing be done indoors,” Klee said.

In addition, the commission agreed with officials that any production would take place in the town's industrial zones, again by special exception.