Officials in three Akron-area communities took action this week to prohibit the growing, selling and processing of medical marijuana in their towns.
While marijuana remains illegal at the federal level, Ohio’s medical marijuana law went into effect Thursday and officials in Copley, Lake and Plain townships quickly acted to squelch it in their areas.
“Lake Township is a conservative community, and we intend to keep it that way,” John Arnold, president of the Stark County community’s board of trustees said a special meeting held Thursday.
Lake trustees unanimously voted to prohibit the cultivation, processing and dispensing of pot in the township, whether for medical or recreational use, as did trustees in Copley in Summit County and Plain in Stark.
Lake officials also initiated a zoning amendment to prohibit the establishment and operation of medical marijuana cultivation, processing and retail dispensaries in the township.
Plain trustees said their Thursday vote to ban medical pot was a measure “to protect the health, safety and welfare” of township residents.
Copley’s marijuana resolution passed on Wednesday without debate.
Medical pot is not expected to be available in Ohio for at least a year or two. The state is still figuring out regulations, commissions, who can grow, process and dispense it, who can authorize it and how people can get it.
Correspondents Betty O’Neill-Roderick and Bruce Griffin contributed to this report.