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12/19/2018 07:00 AMPatients qualified to treat their illnesses with medical marijuana won’t be purchasing their supplies in Old Saybrook any time soon. Despite gaining approval from the town’s Zoning Commission (ZC) earlier this year, two Old Saybrook applicants were not granted licenses by the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) as part of the state’s Medical Marijuana Program.
The DCP announced its list of nine newly approved dispensaries on Dec. 11. These join nine existing dispensaries for a total of 18 statewide. Since the time the original dispensaries were awarded licenses in January 2016, the number of patients qualified to obtain medical marijuana has more than tripled, from 8,228 to 30,448, according to the DCP.
The number of medical conditions approved for medical marijuana use has also grown, from 11 to 31 for adults and eight for patients under the age of 18.
Tessa Teeter’s application for a dispensary called Coastal Health & Wellness was approved by the ZC in August.
While she feels that the DCP’s application process was detailed and fair, “I was disappointed that Middlessex County was not awarded a license,” she said. “I believe that it’s the only county in Connecticut that does not have a dispensary, so I was surprised.”
As a nurse, she feels that medical marijuana “helps a lot of people. So I was hoping to do that for the patients on the shoreline with qualifying illnesses, debilitating illnesses. I’ve seen and heard of so many patients that it’s helped and that’s why I wanted to do it in [Old Saybrook]. I know of so many people in that area that have to travel” to obtain medical marijuana, she said.
The nearest dispensaries to Old Saybrook are Thames Valley Relief in Uncasville, Bluepoint Wellness of Connecticut in Branford, and the newly approved GR Vending CT, LLC in Groton.
To apply for a license, applicants must, among other requirements, prove that they have met all fire and zoning requirements of the town in which the dispensary will be located. There is a $1,000 application fee.
Teeter’s attorney, Nicholas Paindiris, said the Town of Old Saybrook was not supportive of Teeter’s application.
In other towns, “sometimes the police chief would do a letter of recommendation, the town manager,” Paindiris said. “I asked for recommendations and none was granted.”
Teeter did obtain a letter of support from State Senator Paul Formica (R-20).
While the DPS is not transparent about the reasons it chooses one applicant over another, Paindiris believes location was a factor.
“Everybody noticed that Fairfield County was not well represented,” he said.
Fairfield County did have one dispensary already, in Bethel; the DPS granted two additional licenses for dispensaries in Stamford and Westport.
“Even though we didn’t end up with a dispensary, the discussion is not over,” said First Selectman Carl Fortuna, Jr. “I’m not disappointed, honestly, with the decision of the DPS, but I don’t think the discussion is over for any town in the State of Connecticut with what is coming down the pike.
“Medical marijuana is here to stay,” said Fortuna. “Recreational marijuana is likely coming as a result of the recent election,” he said, referring to governor-elect Ned Lamont’s stated support for marijuana legalization, which he has said can and should be regulated by the state.
“There’s still some stigma attached to the idea that marijuana might be legally sold in our town,” Fortuna said.