Legislation to ease local government zoning restrictions on recreational cannabis facilities is causing division among marijuana advocates and drawing criticism from county council members. The state legalized recreational cannabis in 2023, creating a system for licensing various cannabis-related businesses. A bill sponsored by state Sen. Trey Paradee aims to regulate local control of retail cannabis stores by superseding current county and city ordinances with state zoning rules. The bill would require local governments to allow medical marijuana dispensaries with conversion licenses to also sell recreational pot as retail stores and make necessary building improvements. The bill also outlines regulations for the location and operating hours of retail weed stores to ensure they are not in close proximity to certain facilities. Paradee believes that some counties, particularly Sussex County, are using their zoning ordinances to effectively make the sale of marijuana illegal within their jurisdiction. The proposed legislation aims to ensure equal access for cannabis businesses across the state. This story was supported by a grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. WHYY News invites input from residents of Philly, the Pa. suburbs, South Jersey, and Delaware on what topics they would like the news to cover.
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