William J. Kemble is reporting for the Daily Freeman that the town of Saugerties will close its comment period following a public session on Dec. 15, about whether officials should opt out of the state marijuana law that permits retail sales and on-site consumption at smoking lounges. Under the proposed amendments, cannabis establishments would be allowed in the town's Industrial, Office Light Industrial, General Business and Highway Business districts. Supervisor Fred Costello said in an interview there has been no resolution proposed that would have the town opt out of the state law prior to the December 31 deadline. “I think it’s a possibility to opt out of the lounge and allow retail but there’s no clear consensus [on the board] for that yet,” he said. An informational marijuana session December 14, drew about 30 people who seemed split on allowing sales in the town, though even supporters were not certain whether allowing commercial sites for consumption was a good idea. “I think there’s more of an acceptance for retail [sales] than lounges,” he said. “With lounges, there seems to be not … a clear understanding of how that might work. You can’t go to a lounge to purchase product, you can only go to a lounge to smoke product.” Costello is a restaurant owner and has a license to sell alcohol. He noted that the responsibilities and liabilities of liquor sales are not the same for businesses involved in cannabis consumption, but the absence of well-defined rules has not convinced him that lounges should be prohibited. Read the full story in the Daily Freeman.