To the editor:
I have been surprised to see how little outrage there has been in response to news of cannabis dispensaries suing the town of Great Barrington.
Before opening, the dispensaries signed contracts agreeing to pay a Community Impact Fee (CIF). According to state guidelines, this fee (three percent of gross sales for five years) was intended for things “reasonably related to the costs imposed upon the municipality by the operation” of the dispensary, including “additional substance abuse prevention programming during the first years of operation.”
Now, contending that there has been no negative impact, four dispensaries (Theory Wellness, Rebelle, Farnsworth, and Calyx) are suing for more than $6 million—and imposing steep legal fees on the town as a result.
The town has spent a small fraction of the CIF money that has been collected, distributing most of the funds to support health education and substance-use support by organizations including Railroad Street Youth Project, Rural Recovery, VIM, and the school district. The approach to spend the money slowly is strategic, as the true impact will not be known for many years. The hope is that the impact will be minimal, thanks in large part to the scaffolding we build with this money.
Regardless of how you personally feel about cannabis or its legalization, there are undoubtedly health risks associated with its use. People need to be educated about safe handling and storage, the dangers of driving under the influence, the risk to pregnancy, the impact of smoking it, etc. Most critically, people need to be aware of the impact cannabis can have on developing brains—and how to talk about it. That is why, particularly as a parent, I took deep offense at Peter Most’s comment in a recent piece that the town has conjured “a fear of possible deep-seated psychic damage that might manifest through therapy some decades from now.” How glib.
Like General Electric, these dispensaries promised to bring good things to life. And like General Electric, they are prioritizing profits over people, and potentially leaving long-term problems in their wake. It is true that the town had no direct costs to report relating to the dispensaries—no traffic congestion or increased crime to contend with, for example. But it is also true that the town is justified in taking a cautious and commonsense approach.
If you agree that the $6 million belongs to the town and not in the pockets of a few business owners who agreed to pay it, then I hope you will join me in speaking out.
Rebecca Gold
Great Barrington
Rebecca Gold is chair of the Community Impact Fee Committee; however, this letter represents her own views and does not necessarily reflect the views of the committee or its members.
