The Select Board spoke on how many retail cannabis businesses are currently allowed in town and what to do about the possibility of the state piloting “marijuana cafes” in some communities.

Chair Judith Whiteside said she’s received emails and phone calls from residents about the number of dispensaries in town.

Board member Alan Slavin clarified quickly: The board agreed years ago to a cap on the number of retail cannabis licenses in town. That number is set at 20% of the town’s retail liquor licenses, rounded up, setting the total number of dispensaries allowed in town at three.

That third license was recently taken up by Nature’s Medicines, which celebrated its grand opening last week.

There is no similar cap on other marijuana businesses in town, like manufacturing or growing cannabis.

Slavin also brought up a state initiative on piloting marijuana cafes, also called marijuana lounges or social consumption spaces. He said he believes the state will have 10 communities test out the idea, which would be something similar to a cigar bar, where consumption is allowed on the premises. Slavin later clarified that Wareham has not applied to be one of those 10 communities.

Whiteside asked if the board would be OK with her working with Director of Planning Ken Buckland to explore the possibilities of these cafes, which prompted a short discussion. 

Board members asked what Whiteside specifically wanted to speak with Buckland about, and after consulting with town counsel, the board decided that the chair should talk with Buckland on how these cafes would be covered under the town’s current bylaws. 

Slavin said he would reach out to the Cannabis Control Commission to clarify what the town can do in the future regarding the regulation of marijuana cafes.