PRINCESS ANNE, Md. — The University of Maryland-Eastern Shore is teaming up with a company that wants a license to grow medical marijuana.
Some said the unique collaboration will help the school and the community, but others aren't so sure.
The only traffic light in downtown Princess Anne in Somerset County directs few vehicles. Unemployment is high and new business prospects are uncertain.
Asked how desperate the area is for jobs, Princess Anne resident Kimberly Schoolfield said, "I think pretty desperate. They need more. There are a lot of fast-food restaurants. That's all that's really around here."
"There's enough vacant buildings to hold a three-ring circus in. The two busiest places in town are the dispensary and the funeral home," said Van Muir, of Princess Anne.
The Somerset County director of economic development approached the University of Maryland-Eastern Shore with a unique proposition: The research arm of the school should partner with Wellness Farms, a medical marijuana grower who applied for a state license.
More
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
6 comments:
I hate to say it, but the corruption that would stem from this project would be HUGE. Why? Because it's UMES, thats why.
UMES has enough of a drug problem not to mention they discriminate against white employee's.
This is a bad idea. Marijuana farms foster corruption and waste natural resources for the benefit of a few carpetbaggers.
Does anyone care to ask who Wellness Farms, LLC is, as in where they're from and who the members of their LLC are?
Wasting natural resources? You're really stretching for that one. Almost every medical marijuana farm is indoors.
Get rid of your silly excuses and tell us what you really mean, and be prepared to back it up.
UMES has a formerly state-of-the-art greenhouse system, a part of its ag program, that covers about four acres. They haven't used (or maintained) it for a decade, letting the buildings and equipment fall apart.
A facility that large would probably hire on a couple of managers, 8-12 worker bees and 3-4 security guards. No telling how many would be part-time. Processors, if they do it here, would add some, but it wouldn't be steady work.
Economic impact would be minimal. UMES might come out the winner. Princess Anne could not enact a tax because the facility would be state land, so where is the overwhelming benefit? Seems to me that the dispensary and funeral home would still be the hottest businesses in town.
Post a Comment