Amend the village code to opt-in on allowing cannabis dispensaries in Dobbs Ferry.
Residents of Dobbs Ferry already have access to cannabis via a black market that is unregulated, unsafe, and untaxed. Opting-in to allow dispensaries to open here would help ensure that our community has access to safe and tested products, and that some of the proceeds would go toward benefitting our community.
Harm reduction is key here. Permitting a cannabis dispensary to open in Dobbs Ferry will not increase access to marijuana in the village -- but it WILL increase access to SAFE, HIGHLY REGULATED, UNADULTERATED cannabis products. At the same time, NYS licensing requirements for the sale of cannabis are even more stringent than those regulating the sale of alcohol and cigarettes. It will be virtually impossible for someone under the age of 21 to enter such a store, let alone purchase products from it. Right now, however, there is a store in the village that was just raided by Greenburgh Town Police for its inventory of marijuana products, including those laced with powerful and dangerous drugs like fentanyl. A legitimate business opening in our village would make it harder for such illegal businesses to thrive.
We believe that opting in is not only common sense but good economic sense, as well. Dispensaries are among the most regulated businesses out there and will bring people to the village who will also patronize our other businesses. In addition, MRTA calls for a 13% tax on retail cannabis sales — with 9% going to the state and 4% to local governments where the sales take place. That revenue can only be a boon for a village that already struggles to balance the budget each year, despite the fact that residents pay some of the highest property taxes in the country.
Beyond exhorting the Board of Trustees to opt-in to allow dispensaries, if not public consumption facilities, in Dobbs Ferry, we also encourage them to adopt reasonable “time, place, and manner” zoning restrictions. These should, at the very least, be no more restrictive than any such regulations that apply to liquor stores and bars. In particular, they should not be excluded from downtown locations, especially given our village goals to increase the vitality of our downtown, make our streets more walkable, make evidence-based decisions when it comes to public health, attract new businesses, and encourage cooperation and natural synergies among all our businesses.
It is not a matter of whether such stores would attract “unsavory types” from neighboring areas. Cannabis is regularly used by the upstanding residents of Dobbs Ferry, and is a much safer substance than alcohol. There are at least five liquor stores and a beer store already in Dobbs Ferry, not to mention the countless bars and restaurants that serve alcohol. Why should we not have access to cannabis, as well? It verges on hypocritical to allow the sale of alcohol but not cannabis.
New York State has already legalized the sale and public consumption of cannabis, so any arguments about that are no longer relevant. No matter what Dobbs Ferry decides, residents over the age of 21 will still have the right to possess, consume, and grow cannabis. The only question on the table is whether our village wants the substantial economic benefits associated with the new law, as well as a consistent philosophy that allows for the sale of all substances that are currently legal in the state of New York. We strongly hope the Board votes to continue helping Dobbs Ferry thrive and move into the future.
