WILLIAMSVILLE, N.Y. — The Village of Williamsville board will be holding a public hearing to seek residents' input on New York State's marijuana law and the opt-out provision for local municipalities.
The public hearing will take place during the Village Board's regular meeting, on Monday, October 25 at 7:30 p.m. in the auditorium at Village Hall at 5565 Main Street.
Beginning sometime in late 2022 or early 2023, limited possession and use of marijuana and the sale of marijuana will be allowed for adults, 21 years of age or older.
The law allows cities, villages, and towns to opt out of allowing retail dispensaries and/or on‐site consumption sites from locating and operating within their boundaries.
Cities and towns need to decide by the end of the year on whether to opt-out of allowing marijuana dispensaries or on-site consumption.
They can opt-out by that time, but then opt back in down the road.
The Town of Cheektowaga has also launched an online cannabis survey to learn whether town residents are supportive of marijuana retail sales and on-site consumption, and so far the results are in favor of allowing marijuana use and sales in Cheektowaga.
"We're seeing strong majorities in favor of the retail outlets. Based on the first 300 or so responses, as much as 80 percent are in favor of those, and for the consumptions sites, that's a little less around 65 percent," Cheektowaga town council member Brian Nowak said.
For more information on what is in the bill, you can check out the NYS Senate's website. https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2021/S854