Maine Medical Marijuana Caregivers to See Restrictions in Saco

Saco, Maine is considering a ban on in-home medical marijuana cultivation. Some city officials are considering a rezoning process that would amend the current medical marijuana laws for caregivers. The change could restrict in-home cultivation operations to industrial business district locations only.

Some argue that this would interfere with the existing state law, as Portland Press Herald reported. Saco is believed to be the first to restrict caregivers from in-home medical marijuana growth. Other cities, including Biddeford previously considered rezoning cultivation spaces for caregivers.

City officials, including City Administrator Kevin Sutherland, agree that in-home cultivation poses a public safety concern. Other concerns mentioned were electricity usage and difficulty with banking for marijuana businesses.

Sutherland said, “A lot of these caregivers may have a lot of money on hand. I’d rather it be in a locked facility than someone’s dresser drawer. We don’t have enough police offers to patrol every house that might be participating in this.”

A workshop was scheduled on August 1 with a public planning board meeting being scheduled on August 2. Additionally, a second planning board meeting is scheduled for August 3.

Medical Marijuana Caregivers of Maine board president Catherine Lewis disagrees with the rezoning topics. She claims that most caregivers are “mom and pop shops” with a garden or secure area at their homes.

Lewis said, “It seems like an overreaction or knee-jerk reaction to fear of the unknown. Caregivers have a garden within their home or outside. Basically, Saco is saying they can’t grow tomatoes in their backyard.”

In Maine, local municipalities are permitted to format their own rules and regulations, which also pertains to limiting medical marijuana caregivers to isolated locations.