Kingsville, Essex vote to welcome cannabis retail stores

Even though they don't have populations big enough to qualify for a cannabis retail store, both town councils of Kingsville and Essex voted unanimously Monday night to allow cannabis stores. 

"Ten years from now cannabis will be no different than alcohol," said Kingsville Coun. Thomas Neufeld.

About 100 people crammed into the council chambers in Kingsville and there was some applause when councillors spoke in favour of not opting out.

Municipalities have until Jan. 22 to opt out. If they don't opt out, it's an automatic yes to having cannabis storefronts.

The town conducted a survey in December, where 62.53 per cent of the 350 respondents were in favour of having cannabis retail in the community.

Coun. Laura Lucier pointed to the results as a reason to not opt out and she said many residents want the store because they can't find a doctor to prescribe cannabis for medical reasons.

'A driving force'

Neal Wintermute attended the meeting. He started using cannabis oil two months ago and said it cleared up inflammations in his hands and back that anti-inflammatory drugs failed to do for 30 years.

"I've never seen anything like it," he said.

Coun. Tony Gaffan said he researched how legalized cannabis affected other places such as Colorado and Amsterdam. He said fears people expressed about legal cannabis in Kingsville weren't realized in those places.

"You want to be a driving force. You want to be a community of leadership and stepping a big step forward," said Gaffan.

"At the end of the day there is no Boogeyman."

But former police officer Jim Shean was disappointed by the outcome.

"I don't think the black market is going to stop and basically I think the town and the council has sold us out for money, which is not a good situation," said Shean.

The Town of Essex also surveyed residents, who overwhelmingly supported having cannabis retail in the town.

"We need not to hide behind other communities and other issues that are going on. We need to blaze our own trail with this," said Coun. Steve Bjorkman.

"It would be really foolish of us to be a prohibition town while the towns around us all approve and we act like some sort of island and ignore the majority of our residents who want access to this product," said Coun. Chris Vander Doelen, who joined fellow councillors and the mayor in a unanimous vote.

Essex and Kingsville now join Leamington in welcoming pot stores to their communities.

LaSalle, Lakeshore and Tecumseh have opted out, while Windsor and Amherstburg are planning to vote next Monday ahead of the Jan. 22 deadline.