Citing safety, financial benefits, and supporting the wishes of Thorold residents as rationale, Thorold council voted in favour of allowing cannabis retailers to set up shop in the city Tuesday night.

While only 69 people completed a survey made available to residents to voice their opinion on the controversial cannabis subject, 65 per cent of those said they wanted to “opt in.”

Coun. Jim Handley was first to speak in support of the motion, saying, “In 1936 when they made the movie, Reefer Madness, it was made to be the devil of all drugs and since then, it’s been part of our culture.”

Doctors, lawyers, firefighters and even police officers use it, he continued, and opting in will help reduce the black market sale of marijuana, “knowing that the supply you are going to get is good. What you’re getting from the black market is truly unknown. In the drug world, in some circles, it’s known that they take crystal meth” and other harmful substances “and liquefy it and spray it onto cannabis to make it more addictive. To me, it’s a safety aspect. It’s recognized by Health Canada. Businesses and work forces are accepting it. I’m no hypocrite of it. It’s been around for a long time. I’m opting in.”

He added that St. Catharines and Port Colborne have “already opted in.”

Coun. Fred Neale argued that while some Thoroldites fear a new store may bring an unsavoury element to the city, the opposite is true.

“Health and safety is a big issue,” he stated. “On Front Street most days, there are people standing on corners and they’re not there for the great outdoors; they are there to sell marijuana and harder drugs. It’s a black market out there and we need to curtail it. Right now, we have three schools near where they are selling it. I believe we need to opt in. I’m of the older generation and some people have issues (with opting in), but 75 to 80 per cent of the people I’ve talked to—and a lot of them are professional people—and they want to opt in. That’s the way we can control it; have it 150 metres away from a school or other places where there are children.”

“Obviously, we have to keep it out of the residential area,” said Coun. John Kenny. “By using zoning, can we limit the retail stores and send a letter to the province asking for more information on how we can limit it?”

“The only option is to locate where retail stores are, and they are only for cannabis;” for that specific purpose, replied Tamara Tannis, the city’s director of planning and development.

Coun. Victoria Wilson said that she’s “not a supporter of having a store here in Thorold but I think” those who voted no on the survey “have a fear of the unknown. I think there’s a fear of where our store could be. It’s about looking at what our community wants and I think it’s clear they do want it.”

She added: “My big issue is that our provincial government is allowing it wherever people smoke cigarettes.”

According to Mayor Terry Ugulini, “The Region is going to come out with a policy on that.”

While some councillors said they were voting in favour for financial reasons, Coun. Anthony Longo asked Tannis to clarify the misconception about marijuana stores being a cash cow for Thorold.

“The revenue can only be used for issues relating to cannabis?” he asked.

Yes, she replied, any profits generated would be set aside for increased police enforcement and similar related issues.

“This isn’t a revenue-generator for the city,” said Longo. “We can’t just use it to build a baseball diamond. My own concern is not having the power to control the location, the number and proximity of the stores. I would hate to see an area of town have multiple stores.”

Longo asked “That a letter be sent to the premiere and appropriate ministries requiring that municipalities be able to control the location, number, and proximity of stores.”

Ugulini informed him, “They are hoping if enough municipalities do it, the province will consider that.”

Longo also wondered whether all cannabis products being supplied to provincial stores will come from the province.

Tannis said that yes; “It will be very highly monitored by the AGCO” (Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario).

Tannis said she would look into whether pricing would be regulated throughout the various stores.

The Mayor concluded, “I will be supporting it for the following reasons: protecting public health and safety, protecting youth and restricting their use and black market sales. The public has spoken loudly and the majority responded they want to opt in, and through my discussions with residents, it was even greater than 65 per cent. I have been pushing and pushing for an LCBO (in Thorold), so how do we opt out of another legalized substance? I do respect people’s opinions that aren’t in agreement with it, but I support the majority.”

City clerk Donna Delvecchio read the amended motion, which passed: to opt in to permit cannabis retail stores and ask for government regulation regarding location, distance separation and number of stores.