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Community alliance says UMES will conduct retail cannabis impact study for Princess Anne
Summary
The Community and Family Safety Alliance told the commission that the University of Maryland Eastern Shore will conduct—and the alliance will fund—a community impact study on retail cannabis, naming UMES researchers who will lead the project.
A representative for the Community and Family Safety Alliance read a letter at the Princess Anne meeting announcing that the University of Maryland Eastern Shore will lead a community impact study on retail cannabis in the town.
The letter, presented for the record, said the alliance believes an independent institution is the correct choice to avoid perceived bias and financial burden on the town. It names Dr. Robert Brown, chair of the Department of Criminal Justice and the Department of Social Sciences at UMES, and Dr. Miriam Sornell, chair of the Department of Pharmacy Practice and Administration and program director for rural health disparities, as the study’s leads and says the alliance will fund the work.
Why it matters: Commissioners had previously voted on Sept. 3, 2024, for a community impact study of retail cannabis; the letter frames UMES as the institution selected by community stakeholders to conduct the analysis on education, public safety, economy, equity and community input. The letter also notes UMES’ participation on the Maryland cannabis public health advisory council.
The chair opened the floor for citizen comment after the letter. Several speakers welcomed collaboration with UMES and urged a robust process to ensure community input; others said the broader funding and budget questions discussed at the meeting increased demands on the town’s financial oversight.
Next steps: The letter states UMES will provide updates to the town and stakeholders; commissioners suggested the topic could be the subject of a future work-session presentation to review study scope and any cost or process implications before the town takes additional steps.
