Sumter County commissioners voted to ban any more medical marijuana dispensaries at their meeting Tuesday night.
The ban will not affect two dispensaries already approved. Cities also can allow dispensaries within their borders.
Two dispensaries were approved earlier this year. One will be located in a strip mall along U.S. Hwy. 27/441 about 1,000 feet south of the Marion County line. A location has not been determined for the other dispensary.
Florida voters approved a medical marijuana referendum last fall. Local and state governments have been working to establish rules for the dispensaries.
Sumter County had to revamp its medical marijuana ordinance after the state legislature in June gave counties two choices. Counties could either ban dispensaries or allow them wherever pharmacies are permitted.
At the meeting, Commissioner Garry Breeden said he favored a ban, especially because a pending lawsuit seeks to make smoking a legal method of delivery.
Commissioner Steve Printz said he doesn’t know what other counties are doing and the legislature is likely to consider the issue again.
“I think we should keep our powder dry by banning,” he said.
But Board Chairman Doug Gilpin, who cast the only vote against the ban, said the dispensaries already approved haven’t even opened yet.
“We don’t have a burning issue here,” he said. “In Sumter County, it’s pretty clear the market is not crying for medical marijuana.”
The board was scheduled to hold another public hearing on the issue at its Aug. 8 meeting, but took action Tuesday night.
In other business, commissioners voted to allow golf carts on roads managed by the county in the Oakland Hills subdivision along U.S. Hwy. 27/441. The action came after a resident presented a petition with more than 300 signatures supporting the change.
