As proud residents of Riverhead, we are deeply concerned about the town's vision and decision to open seven new marijuana dispensaries including the newest location set in a rural area near a residential area and half a mile from its local elementary school in Aquebogue accross from woodside orchards with the nearest cross street being Church Ln. This is not an enhancement to our community; rather, it feels like a shameless attempt to chase financial incentives to the detriment of our neighborhoods. We already have a dispensary near Tanger Outlets, which serves the area adequately. Adding more down the main road of Riverhead and into rural areas like Aquebogue and Jamesport is not necessary and sends the wrong message to not only visitors and tourism which our rural community thrives off of, but to our youth who will grow up with dispensaries on every corner of their hometown. 

Our town is already grappling with issues of substance abuse. Opening multiple dispensaries scattered on every corner and vacant building of the main road, makes it harder to believe that Riverhead is doing everything it can to tackle these issues effectively. It feels counterproductive and disheartening to see decisions that could potentially exacerbate the problem rather than help our community thrive. 

The legality of marijuanas usage is new to everyone in New York State, there still remains widespread apprehension among community members regarding its presence, particularly with such a significant number of purchasing outlets. There is no denying that the town of Riverhead has its fair share of alcohol related businesses, however alcohol has been legal and regulated for decades, and communities have grown accustomed to its presence and regulatory measures.

These dispensaries will without a doubt also work against property values throughout the town as it will be extremely prevalent throughout the community and it is not yet as widely accepted. Furthermore, established residents of these areas did not move to them with a dispensary placed on each corner two to three miles apart. 

 The magnitude is worrying—as a community we are troubled to think there could be more marijuana dispensaries in Riverhead than there are 7-Elevens and pizza shops combined. This imbalance is hard to ignore and raises questions about misguided priorities within the town's leadership.

We should have a say in this decision. Residents of Riverhead deserve the opportunity to decide on whether this type of egregious expansion aligns with our community values and needs. Let us voice our concerns. Your signature can help us advocate for a more considerate approach to development in our beloved town. 

Sign this petition to urge Riverhead’s town officials to reconsider the number of marijuana dispensaries as well as the locations which are currently set to be close to schools, places of worship, as well as residential areas, group homes, and senior centers, and to as always ensure our community's voice is heard.