HAVERHILL — When Haverhill voters head to the polls this November, a new question on the ballot will ask whether cannabis consumers should have a place to legally gather and use marijuana within the city.
Caroline Pineau, owner of Stem of Haverhill, announced Thursday that the city has certified the required number of signatures she needed to place the question on the November municipal ballot.
If approved, the measure would allow social cannabis consumption in dedicated establishments under rules and regulations established by the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission in January.
More than 5,200 signatures from registered Haverhill voters were submitted in support of Pineau’s effort. The campaign needed 3,160 certified signatures to qualify for the ballot, and the city certified 3,532.
“We are beyond happy that so many Haverhill voters made their opinion known by signing our petition to bring safe, regulated social consumption to the city,” Pineau said.
“I think they recognize the basic fairness of giving cannabis consumers similar options as those going into a restaurant or cafe for a cocktail.”
Pineau said she pursued the ballot initiative after the Haverhill City Council took no action on adopting local social consumption ordinances.
“We are moving forward with this ballot initiative because we cannot rely on the city to enact social consumption ordinances,” Pineau said.
“Despite the overwhelming support for legalization in 2016, our elected officials have not taken the necessary steps to align with the will of Haverhill voters.”
Followed by a summary of the law, the ballot will ask voters: “Shall the City of Haverhill allow the sale of marijuana and marijuana products, as those terms are defined in section 1 of chapter 94G of the General Laws, for consumption on the premises where sold, a summary of which appears below?”
According to Pineau, Haverhill is the first municipality to place a local cannabis social consumption question before voters, and she said the city could also become the first in the state to host a licensed social consumption establishment.
She has proposed opening a social consumption space at Stem Haverhill, 124 Washington St., where she and her husband, Adam, plan to renovate the upper floors and rooftop of the building.
The couple has set out blueprints to transform the building into what they describe as a “state-of-the-art cannabis-themed destination” featuring a lounge, education programming, wellness activities and on-site social consumption.
As of now, the local question is the only Haverhill-specific question expected to appear on the November ballot. It will appear alongside nine statewide ballot questions.