A family that operates a veterans service organization has filed a citizens petition asking the town to scrap its ban on the sale of rolling papers in town.
Thomas J. Rand, founder of Patriots Helping Vets, said he believes it is time for Sandwich to remove the bylaw that was passed in the 1980s.
“I would have thought, with all the medical and recreational marijuana dispensaries opening up, that Sandwich would have already abandoned the bylaw,” Mr. Rand said. “It’s time it was abolished.”
The bylaw, which was approved by Town Meeting in 1986, and amended in 1987, says:
“It shall be lawful to prohibit the sale of rolling papers in the Town of Sandwich. Any person(s) violating this ByLaw will be fined twenty-five ($25.00) dollars for the first offense and fifty ($50.00) dollars for second or subsequent offenses.”
It is listed as Part 3 of Sandwich General Bylaws, Section 4.05, titled, Tobacco Products: Sale to Minors. The rest of the section outlaws the sale of tobacco products to anyone younger than 18.
Mr. Rand said Sandwich residents must now drive to neighboring towns—Mashpee, Bourne or Marstons Mills—to buy papers.
“The town passed these little laws to prevent drug abuse, but papers and cannabis were not the problem,” Mr. Rand said. “I’m very pro cannabis, but my sons are 24 and 27 now, and I have not been able to buy rolling papers in Sandwich—my home town—during their lifetimes.”
The citizens petition seeks to, “amend the Town of Sandwich General Bylaws, by striking Section 4.05, Part 3, in its entirety. Or take any action thereto.”
It is the third citizens petition that will likely appear on the May Town Meeting warrant. The other two seek bans on the sale of single-use plastic water bottles; and the use of plastic take-out containers and utensils.
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