Advertisement Marijuana map: Cities, towns developing rules for recreational pot Share Shares Copy Link Copy

Recreational marijuana is going to become legal in Massachusetts, but not in every city or town. At least 108 communities throughout Massachusetts have established or considered restrictions on the recreational marijuana industry. Legalization of recreational marijuana passed by a slim 3.6 percent margin this November, and many areas throughout the Commonwealth are now opting out. Recreational marijuana is currently legal to possess, but illegal to sell. While voters approved legalization in 2016, the region will have to wait until at least January before retailers will be licensed to sell the drug.Cities and towns are utilizing three strategies to limit or block the recreational industry: moratoriums, outright bans or zoning regulations.Other communities are considering adopting one of these three strategies.Interestingly, 51 of the 108 towns that voted in favor of legalization are now on the list of communities now taking or considering actions to curtail the industry. Mobile users: See an interactive map of cities and townsMORATORIUMSThe most popular way cities and towns are getting around legalization is through moratoriums on the cannabis industry. These moratoriums range from temporary to permanent, but they also differ in type. Some are restrictions on industry, others on sale and distribution. Sixty-seven of the 108 communities that have or are planning on restricting activity from the recreational cannabis industry have enforced some type of moratorium. In 35 of the 67, the majority of the population voted in favor of legalization, ranging from margins as slim as 41.5 percent to 65.3 percent.-Abington-Agawam-Andover-Arlington-Ashland-Auburn-Barnstable -Barre-Bourne-Brookline -Burlington-Carlisle-Chicopee-Cohasset-Concord-Danvers-Dedham-Easton-Egremont-Essex-Fitchburg-Georgetown-Greenfield-Hadley-Hamilton-Hanover-Harwich-Hatfield-Hingham-Holden-Holyoke -Hopkinton-Hull-Ipswich-Lee-Leominster-Lincoln-Littleton-Ludlow-Lunenburg-Mansfield-Millbury-New Bedford-North Andover-Northborough-Northbridge-Paxton-Rehoboth-Scituate-Shelburne-Shrewsbury-South Hadley-Springfield-Stoneham-Sutton-Taunton-Tewksbury-Topsfield-Wareham-Wayland-Wellesley-West Bridgewater-West Springfield-Westport-Wilmington-Winchester -YarmouthBANSAn outright ban on the recreational cannabis industry is an approach by many. Thirty-two of the 108 communities restricting the industry have decided on an outright ban. These bans can enforce the selling, distribution, licensing, grow facilities and other factors as they relate to the evolving local market. In nine of the 32, the majority of the population voted in favor of legalization, ranging from 41.5 percent to 52.8 percent. -Auburn-Bourne-Dennis-Duxbury-East Brookfield-Falmouth-Foxborough-Holliston-Hopkinton-Ipswich-Lynnfield-Mashpee-Medfield-Medway-North Reading-Norwell-Norwood-Peabody-Pembroke-Plymouth-Raynham-Reading-Sandwich-Southborough-Stoughton-Sturbridge-Wakefield-Walpole-Westborough-Westwood-Wilbraham -WoburnZONING REGULATIONS One way cities and towns are either limiting access or restricting saturation in the new market is through zoning regulations. Cities such as Cambridge are regulating the amount of and distance between retail spaces for the cannabis industry. Some communities are restricting how far cannabis retail can be from their borders. Five of the six areas imposing zoning regulations had a majority of their populations vote in favor of legalization, ranging from 47.3 percent to 71.3 perecent. -Cambridge-Franklin-Gloucester-Milford-Revere-TyngsboroughCONSIDERING ACTIONThree towns are considering action on restricting the legalization of recreational marijuana. Amesbury has formed a recreational marijuana committee to review any further action on restricting the industry. Bridgewater is considering zoning bylaws. Sterling is weighing options of a ban or moratorium. Of those three only the majority of Amesbury residents voted in favor of legalization, at 58.5 percent.