Lake Placid’s On-Site Consumption Proposal Wins By One Vote

It looks like Lake Placid residents are welcoming cannabis with open arms, well, most residents. In March 2021, New York state adopted recreational cannabis legalization, giving consumers over 21 the opportunity to purchase it from dispensaries and possess it up to certain amounts. 

But, when a state legalizes recreational weed, the federal government gives each municipality the right to “opt-out” of legalization by keeping cannabis dispensaries and operations out of the jurisdiction. 

These municipalities in New York had until December 31, 2021, to choose whether they wanted to opt out. Days before that deadline, the Lake Placid village board voted to opt-out but allowed the final decision to be made by local residents. 

Voters decided that allowing cannabis dispensaries and on-site consumption licensing within Lake Placid would be beneficial. What’s even more exciting is how the measure to legalize on-site consumption licensing appeared to have won in favor by a single vote.

On the ballot, voters were asked to jot their opinion for both cannabis dispensaries and on-site consumption licenses. According to data from Adirondack Daily Enterprise, out of the 326 votes on the cannabis dispensary proposal, 144 voted to stay opted-out, and 182 voters wanted to opt-in. 

In an even tighter vote, within the 329 ballots on the on-site consumption proposal, 164 voters said they wanted to stay opted-out, and 165 wanted to opt-in. So if you were a resident that chose to allow consumption licensing, you very well could have been the deciding vote. 

However, because the proposal won by a single vote, Adirondack Daily Enterprise reports that village Clerk Anita Estling says there will most likely be other initiatives before it’s legalized within Lake Placid. This might take the form of calling for a recount, especially if a village resident chooses to challenge the proposal, which would then solidify the need for a recount. 

There’s currently no news on when and if a recount might occur, but once more information meets the media, we encourage Lake Placid residents to head back for a vote and continue fighting for easy and safe access to cannabis.