Marijuana moratorium extended

PARIS — With little discussion, the Board of Selectmen approved the extension of a moratorium on allowing medical marijuana dispensaries within city limits.

The vote means that a dispensary may not operate in town limits for six months, a scenario that is a virtual impossibility under state law anyway.

The town meeting adopted the moratorium for six months, but state law allows the board to extend it for an additional 180 days, said Chair Ray Glover.

During that period, the planning board will submit a draft of rules regulating such dispensaries.

Last year, the board voted to direct the planning board to devise regulations that would limit the number of dispensaries to one.

Selectmen Ted Kurtz moved to extend the moratorium by six months, and the board voted unanimously to approve the measure.

Maine is the fifth state to provide for dispensaries for medical marijuana. The dispensaries are regulated by the Department of Health and Human Services.

Only one dispensary is allowed in each of eight zones identified by the state. For Zone 3, which encompasses Franklin, Oxford, and Androscoggin counties, the Remedy Compassion Center of Farmington has been selected as the sole marijuana dispensary.