ANN ARBOR (WXYZ) — "We don't want them using the playground as a place to party," said Sherry Doughty about a cannabis consumption lounge that is set to open up about 400 feet away from the Montessori school she operates on the edge of downtown Ann Arbor.
Doughty said she understands people using marijuana for pain and ailments, but she's concerned about the recreational cannabis lounge being so close to the school that has been a fixture in the neighborhood for decades.
"If people will be milling around outdoors and if that will impact our staff and our children," she said.
The Holistic Industries' consumption lounge will be adjacent to their retail dispensary, Liberty Ann Arbor, which has already been operating on Ashley Street.
A spokesperson said the hours for the lounge are expected to be from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
“We’re thrilled to bring Michigan’s first cannabis consumption lounge to Ann Arbor and create a one-of-a-kind experience for the many people in Ann Arbor who agree that life is better with cannabis," the spokesperson said in a statement to 7 Action News. "By providing a safe, designated space for consumption, we are helping remove some of the potential roadblocks cannabis patients and customers face after they purchase products and want to consume them.”
Ken Land, a therapist who owns a nearby house that he's converted into offices, including his own, said he found it hard to object to the dispensary when it first opened because he supports the legalization of cannabis use.
But, still, Land had concerns.
"I don't want a bunch of potheads walking around acting like a bunch of fools, would you?" he asked.
Land figured he should have a positive approach and try to work with his newer neighbors in the cannabis industry to make the best of it.
"If they get out of line, I'll get crabby," Land said. "But if they don't, live and let live."
It's unclear how soon the lounge will open.
