Mayor Domenic J. Sarno and City Councilor Maria Perez joined with Health and Human Services (HHS) Commissioner Helen Caulton-Harris, Cannabis Compliance Coordinator Xavier Williams, City Solicitor Stephen Buoniconti, and the Springfield Police Department to announce a new ordinance aimed to crackdown on the dangerous and illegal ‘Gas Station Weed’ that is targeting our youth and putting the public health of all our residents at risk.
Mayor Sarno states, “First off, I want to thank HHS Commissioner Helen Caulton-Harris, Deputy Health Commissioner Ann Kissel and Cannabis Compliance Coordinator Xavier Williams for their efforts in identifying this public health and safety issue and working with my administration to create a local ordinance to crack down on this illegal product that is putting our families and children at risk. This illegal cannabis being sold, better known as ‘Gas Station Weed’, is dangerous and possesses a significant risk to our residents, especially our children, as the packaging for these items are often labeled to look like candy. On top of that, these dangerous items are placed in easy to reach locations where one can grab them off the shelf and counters, sometime right next to candy bars and bags of chips. These dangerous products, which even the State Cannabis Control Commission has deemed illegal, need to be removed from our neighborhoods in the name of public health and safety, and the establishments that peddle such illegal products will be held accountable to the full extent of the law allowed by this ordinance.”
Over the past few months, the City of Springfield Department of Health and Human Services has been visiting and identifying locations throughout the city that has been advertising or selling these illegal cannabis project which can range from individual cannabis cigarettes, cannabis gummies, and other related items. Most of these products are packaged in attractive and deceptive packaging that mimics candy or other snacks and chips. There are usually no manufacturing labels on these illegal products that indicate what the ingredients are or the marijuana (tetrahydrocannabinol/THC) context and amount the product contains. Often times the cannabis or synthetic-cannabis content exceeds what is legally allowed by State law.
HHS Commissioner Caulton-Harris states, “The Department of Health and Human Services is committed to overseeing our local regulatory compliance of all applicable state and local laws and ordinances in this new growing marijuana sector. This so called ‘Gas Station Weed’ is a public nuisance that poses a serious public health and safety risk for our residents and especially our youth and children. In short, these products are unregulated and are illegal and as such, the City of Springfield Department of Health and Human Services, under the leadership of Mayor Sarno and with the assistance from the Springfield Police Department, will support the passage of this ordinance to crack down on this dangerous and illegal product.”
City Councilor Maria Perez added, “I want to thank Mayor Sarno, Commissioner Helen Caulton-Harris and the team for their efforts to keeping our neighborhoods and children safe from this dangerous and illegal cannabis product. This illegal cannabis product is unregulated and poses a serious health risk to residents and children. Imagine if a child accidently grabbed one of these packages thinking they were eating candy and their parents had to rush them to the hospital because the marijuana content far exceeds what is legally allowed. As the Ward 1 City Councilor and as a mother, I will work with Mayor Sarno and co-sponsor this ordinance for passage before the City Council in the name of public health and safety.”
While the amount of delta-9 THC found naturally in legal adult use marijuana is regulated, hemp does not contain enough of the concentration of delta-9 THC. Other forms of THC such as delta-8 or delta-10 are synthetically derived from hemp within a laboratory and without proper regulatory compliance, could result in serious negative side-effects and health impacts.
In Massachusetts, products containing delta-8, delta-10, and other synthetically derived cannabinoids are illegal according to the Massachusetts Department of Agriculture Resources and the Massachusetts General Laws. Although illegal, Synthetically Derived Cannabinoid Products are not currently regulated by any agencies or departments of the Federal Government or the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, thus putting our residents at risk.
Synthetically Derived Cannabinoid Products have been found to contain harmful chemicals, pesticides, mold, solvents, bacteria, additives, and heavy metals including lead and mercury.
Many Synthetically Derived Cannabinoid Products are specifically marketed towards young adults and children and are easily available for purchase without any age or amount restrictions in gas stations, retail shops, bodegas, and various other businesses throughout the City of Springfield posing a serious health risk to residents and children.
The ordinance would prohibit the manufacture, sale and disposition of synthetically derived cannabinoids and synthetically derived cannabinoid products. The ordinance would support the State’s stance that these cannabis products are illegal and associate a local fine to selling these products at $300.00 penalty for each offense. The Department of Health and Human Services and/or the Police Department shall confiscate the illegal cannabis product. Any unpaid or outstanding charges for violations of this ordinance shall be eligible for a municipal lien.
You can watch a recording of today's announcment thanks to our friends at Focus Springfield Community TV: https://youtube.com/live/2Cg5HyifRQA
