Spencer Selectmen Pass Medical Marijuana Facility, Residents Worry About Recreational Potential

SPENCER (CBS) --  Selectmen approved a proposed medical marijuana facility in town Monday, but not without protest.

Passions were high right up to the moment Spencer's Board of Selectmen voted in favor of the facility that was made legal in 2012. Specifically, the board voted for a letter of non-opposition to Holistic Health Group, the company seeking to open the dispensary. Frustrations were only inflamed by the statewide vote in November legalizing recreational pot.

"I'm not in agreeance with this whatsoever," one resident said.

Some residents worried a medical facility could soon start selling recreational marijuana, as allowed under the new law.

"I do think that there's probably in a lot of peoples' minds a big distinction between approving medical marijuana and approving recreational marijuana," resident James Driscoll said.

"A total of 35 years in law enforcement and usually the people that I deal with don't have the responsibility to handle it," Arthur Tatro said.

But others attended the meeting to explain how marijuana has helped them. Iraq war veteran Steve Mandile was one of those people. He told the crowd how medical cannabis saved him from a life filled with depression and opioid dependence.

"I have a spinal cord injury. My spine is fused together. I also have a traumatic brain injury and PTSD," he said. "It's changed my life completely."

The company behind the Spencer proposal declined to comment on the possibility that it might sell recreational product.

"We are not really prepared to discuss recreational at this point," Tim McNamara, a Holistic Health Group representative, said.

According to state law, towns can opt out of recreational marijuana through a ballot vote. Spencer Selectmen plan to take advantage of that stipulation through a town vote in May.

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