Medical marijuana dispensaries banned in Lafayette County

MAYO, Fla. — The Lafayette County Board of County Commissioners had the second and final reading of an ordinance to ban medical marijuana dispensaries in the county at its Monday meeting.

Lafayette County resident Bobby Johnson spoke out against the ban.

“In 2016, this was voted on by the people of Lafayette County, I didn’t vote for it, but the people of Lafayette County voted to have this in the county,” Bobby Johnson said.

He asked why the commissioners did not want the medical marijuana dispensaries in the county when the people voted for medical marijuana in 2016.

Commissioner Lance Lamb said he did not want the children to have access to marijuana.

Chairman Anthony Adams said it is not an ordinance against the use of medical marijuana but against dispensing medical marijuana.

The ordinance was passed and prohibits medical marijuana dispensing facilities within Commercial, Neighborhood (CN) Zoning District; Commercial, General (CG) Zoning District; and Commercial, Intensive (CI) Zoning District.

The county had a moratorium prohibiting the operation of medical marijuana treatment centers and licensed dispensing organizations within the county.

This moratorium came after Florida voters passed an amendment in 2016 that allows the use of medical marijuana for individuals with a debilitating medical condition.