Brunswick Hills residents discuss possibility of recreational marijuana operations in the township

BRUNSWICK HILLS TWP. — Brunswick Hills residents spoke in favor of and against the possibility of allowing recreational marijuana businesses to operate within the township during the trustees meeting Tuesday. Louis Farkas spoke on behalf of Farkas Farms LLC, which has a marijuana cultivation license, dispensary licenses and marijuana processing partnerships. Cultivation takes place at a fourth-generation family farm in Ohio, and its dispensaries are in Wellington, Loudonville and Columbus. "There's a lot of places that we can put these stores, and I really love the fact that it's in these smaller towns," he said. "It's not only the tax benefits that can be generated, tax dollars that can help support the community, but as a smaller company and family-owned company, our money stays here. I live here, and the people I employ live here." Farkas said that if Brunswick Hills is considering it, he would be interested in working with the township and putting a store there. "I think it's important that a mutual relationship is formed that benefits everybody," he said. "A store located here provides jobs for the community. Although it's not a Microsoft or an Amazon coming in with thousands, it's 15 to 20 above-average paying jobs that will help the community." The trustees read three anonymous emails from community members who expressed worries about the impact the sale of recreational marijuana could have on children and the community as a whole. Brunswick Hills resident Alida Scheiderer said she is anti-drug and completely against the proposition. She voiced concerns about crime, homelessness and advertising, which could be seen by young children. "You could literally be driving down I-71 and go, 'Oh, I want my marijuana fix,' and click on your little app that pops up all the dispensaries all over the state of Ohio, or wherever your route is," she said. "They're coming down I-71, and then Brunswick Hills is going to pop up, so you don't know who you're bringing in. You don't know if that person is going to be responsible and take that marijuana home and smoke it in the nice comfort of their home, or if they're going to go back on the freeway and start smoking it and kill 100 people in car wrecks." Linda Hudson, a Brunswick Hills resident, said cannabis legalization has the benefit of taxing and regulating the product. She believes the township can benefit from the taxes derived from the legal sale of marijuana by allocating funding to the police, fire and service departments. "The stigma that once accompanied the use of marijuana is no longer applicable," she said. "The legitimate places that are being built are not your corner store or your back room or street location that previously offered marijuana for sale illegally. These stores are highly regulated by the state and local governments that are set up and designed in a professional manner." Scheiderer expressed her belief that the legal sale of marijuana could lead to the black market worsening in communities. "Because the industry is so regulated, it would make sense then for those that want to engage in a black market to undercut the sellers," she said. "It's a supply- and-demand structure in anything we do, in any economy, whether it's legal or illegal. The people within a black market, they're going to set up camp here. I guarantee you they will." Kelly Gualdoni is a Brunswick Hills resident who is a registered nurse with a Master Cannabis Certification. She said marijuana is not harmless for everyone, but knowing someone who had a bad experience does not mean dispensaries harm communities, citing sources like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Low Income Housing Coalition and the National Institute on Drug Abuse. "At the end of the day, people are completely entitled to personally oppose cannabis or feel it does not align with their values, but public discussion and policy decisions should be based on measurable evidence, not fear, not assumptions or anecdotal correlation," she said. "In conclusion, current published evidence does not support the idea that regulated dispensaries increase violent crime, cause homelessness or destabilize communities." Gualdoni echoed similar sentiments about how the increase in tax revenue could support infrastructure, roads, emergency services, parks and community programs. "This is ultimately a local decision, but the residents of Brunswick Hills are already purchasing legal cannabis in neighboring towns," she said. "The question becomes whether Brunswick Hills wants local oversight and local economic benefit, or whether the surrounding communities should continue receiving that revenue." The Brunswick Hills trustees have not made a formal decision regarding recreational marijuana operations within the township. Contact reporter Madisyn Woodring at (330) 721-4049 or mwoodring@medina-gazette.com.