OCEAN CITY, Md.- Ocean City Council voted in a council meeting on Tues. to ban businesses that sell marijuana and allow the consumption of weed on site. Council also voted to push pause temporarily on the application process or issuance of business licenses for growing, processing, and selling. Both go into effect immediately.
City manager Terry McGean says the ban allows the state of Maryland time to figure out how to regulate the newly legal drug, which becomes recreationally legal on July 1st.
"We want to make sure we remain a safe family resort," he said. "We want to make sure that we have regulations in place that maintain that."
Some Ocean City visitors agree. Francine Foglia says, "There should be some kind of limit. Let people do what they want to smoke it, that's fine. Smoke it in your house, have a party, enjoy yourself. But you don't have to bring it out to the public."
But business owner Michael Weaver, who owns Ocean City Hemp Shop in downtown Ocean City, says marijuana has helped him personally as he suffers from ALS. He also added there are other problems that deserve attention in Ocean City.
"It would be a good thing to repress alcohol abuse," he said. "People preferring marijuana are not so rude and destructive on marijuana as when they are on alcohol."
Others wonder why legalization has taken so long in the first place.
Ocean City visitor Quinton Brown says, "I think it's about time. I mean, we're in a new day and age now and I mean, it's everywhere. It's not harmful for the people, I don't believe in my own opinion."
According to council, Maryland state officials say the first round of licenses will be issued on or by Jan. 1 2024.
