MISSOULA — An ordinance to pause new business licenses for recreational marijuana dispensaries was introduced during Monday evening’s Missoula City Council meeting. Backers say the measure aims to reduce kid's access to marijuana.
Over the last year, Missoula Public Health and members of the city council have been discussing the alarming number of young people visiting the emergency room, going into rehab, and being poisoned from cannabis use.
The city council approved the temporary moratorium on an 8-to-3 vote and called for a review of public health concerns regarding the large number of marijuana dispensaries in the city.
While public health officials have said a city the size of Missoula should have between five to 12 dispensaries, the city is currently home to 51 businesses.
Another eight are in the pipeline for approval. Missoula ranks near the top nationally in its number of pot dispensaries per capita.
Missoula City Council member Gwen Jones, who put the ordinance forward, says that the pause on business licenses offers the city council a chance to rework the zones where dispensaries are located.
A lot of information out there and studies that have been done, the more dispensaries in a community, the more youth use,” Jones said. “So, having less dispensaries can still provide that service in Missoula. But having it a little bit less visible -- less in people's face -- probably is going to be better in the long run for a better environment.”
A Missoula City Council hearing on the proposed ordinance has been scheduled for July 8, 2024.
- information from Martin Kidston of the Missoula Current included in this report.
