One Sussex County town has not shut down the possibility of recreational marijuana businesses in its municipality.
Georgetown Town Council in a tight 3-2 vote passed an ordinance authorizing marijuana businesses in certain areas within the town.
The recreational sale is state-licensed, and the vote means cultivation and manufacturing will be permitted in Georgetown in certain areas.
Georgetown Mayor Bill West was the decisive vote in the move that separates Georgetown from other Sussex municipalities like Rehoboth Beach, Bethany Beach, Dewey Beach, Seaford, Dagsboro and Millsboro which opted out.
“I didn’t like it at first because I was a state cop, and I thought, ‘No, we don’t need the marijuana.’ But then you start looking at it, you go to an event and you hear the women sitting there saying ‘I need it, I need it, I'm for it because it helps me get through with my bones and everything.’ So you start looking at it that way and think wait a minute here this is a drug that is helping people get through life better," said West.
He was joined by Eric Evans and Christina Diaz-Malone in support with Tony Neal – a pastor – and Penuel Barrett against.
Barrett doesn’t think it would benefit the town.
“Georgetown, as far as the mental health and addiction problem, we’re over our head right now. Why do we need to add this? If it was so good, all of these other towns would be doing it, and not one town has approved it yet,” said Barrett.
Under the ordinance, no marijuana establishment can be located within 1,000 feet of any church, licensed child care facility, school, college, university or educational institution or alcohol/drug rehab service center.
The sale hours are limited to 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays.
