PERRYSBURG, Ohio (WTVG) – Tuesday was the third time Perrysburg resident Kent Jones sat and watched Perrysburg City Council discuss an issue close to his heart: cannabis dispensaries.

“I’ve got multiple sclerosis and I use medical cannabis as a part of my therapy,” Jones said. “I’ve spent five years in a wheelchair and medical cannabis has been a part of what got me out and is helping me walk. I’m an advocate for it.”

Jones said he’s been interacting with people on social media leading up to the council’s vote on whether to allow cannabis dispensaries in the city limits.

He created several posts encouraging residents to express their opinion on the issue.

Jones said now that adult and medical use are legal in Ohio, he hopes the topic will become less taboo.

“Things will move from that direction over time, so patience and persistence go a long way,” Jones said.

Personally, Jones was hoping that council members would rule in favor of allowing dispensaries in city limits. He said it was important to increase access for medicinal use, especially for people who may not be able to travel farther distances to pick up their products.

The measure failed in a split vote of four to three. Members Barry VanHoozen, Tim McCarthy, Mark Weber, and Kerry Wellstein. Members Kevin Fuller, Cory Kuhlman and Rick Rettig voted yes to changing the zoning to allow dispensaries.

Fuller, who also serves as council president, said he is not a marijuana advocate, but his “yes” vote was related to his belief in liberty and customers’ choice.

“That’s something that the consumers can decide whether they want to participate in whatever product they’re selling or service,” Fuller told 13 Action News.

Other members in favor said they believed it was important to say yes to business and economic development.

Among those who voted “no” was Tim McCarthy, the chair of the planning and zoning committee.

“It’s a different issue to have dispensaries, that’s putting it out there, it’s a public notice that marijuana products are available,” McCarthy told 13 Action News.

Other members who were opposed noted that they spoke to school officials who were not in favor of allowing dispensaries in the city.

Now that the ordinances are struck down, McCarthy said the council will likely extend the current moratorium on marijuana dispensaries, cultivation and processing sites for an additional 90 to 120 days.

The zoning and planning chair said the discussion on dispensaries, however, is not over yet. That type of business could still have a chance to come in, but with a caveat.

“Some of the councilmen expressed interest in considering having dispensaries for medical marijuana only,” McCarthy said.

Residents like Jones have given their input to city council over the past few weeks. McCarthy said more people were opposed to dispensaries than not, but it was not by a wide margin.

If council extends the moratorium, McCarthy said it will give council time to review the possibility of medical-only dispensaries.

Jones said that although it was not the outcome he was looking for, he was pleased with the discussion and how the topic was addressed.

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