Springfield to take action against illegal ‘Gas Station Weed'
Springfield woman turns herself in for Old Navy merchandise theft in South Windsor
On Wednesday, Mayor Domenic Sarno, along with other city officials, will announce a new ordinance that's aimed at illegal 'Gas Station Weed.' This type is targeting youth and putting the public's health at risk. The announcement is set to take place at 2:30 p.m. at Springfield City Hall.
The State House News Service states that 'Gas Station Weed' is not the same cannabis that is sold at licensed dispensaries, and is often unregulated. They are advertised as a legal hemp product under federal law, but they offer the same kind of high as cannabis. Hemp is defined as cannabis that has no more than 0.3% Delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which is the primary psychoactive compound of marijuana, by dry weight at the time of harvest.
This type of hemp-based product has been around for about six years, but has become more popular recently. They are marked as things like 'Delta-8,' 'Delta-10' or 'THC In A Bottle,' and often come in bright packaging, which is sometimes meant to mimic the look of legal products.
On Wednesday, a bill set to reform the Cannabis Control Commission will go before the House of Representatives after years of controversies and complaints from local business owners. The bill is now cleared through two committees and is poised to pass the House. The bill places the commission entirely under Governor Healey, which means the five-person board would go down to three appointed commissioners, with one of them a full-time chair. The bill would regulate and tax the sale of hemp-based and CBD gummies and drinks, and open the door to retail-only medical marijuana businesses.
The City of Springfield states that no one should sell, cultivate, deliver, or otherwise commercially distribute marijuana products within the city without first obtaining a marijuana operating permit issued annually by the Department of Health and Human Services. Only owners of establishments with a permanent, nonmobile location in the city can apply for an operating permit at the specified location. The fee for a marijuana operating permit is $2,000 annually.
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