ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. — Two local communities are the only ones in the state of Missouri who will vote next week on whether to ban recreational marijuana sales.
The measure comes two years after statewide legalization - however, there's a provision in the state-wide measure that allows communities to fight back if they no longer want cannabis sales.
After Missouri voters approved legalizing recreational marijuana, advocates say it's generated big bucks for the Show Me State.
"A lot of communities across the state where these facilities are located have really embraced having these jobs there and these small businesses there,” said Jack Cardetti.
But some are saying not so fast. On Nov. 5, voters in Des Peres and Olivette will get the opportunity to decide whether to put a stop to recreational marijuana. This is the first time since the measure passed that localities can take advantage of this option.
"I wouldn't want it anywhere in Des Peres,” said Jeanne Fluri. She’s concerned about kids being exposed to dispensaries, like Root 66 on Manchester Road.
"The kids will come from St. Clement, they'll be off school, they'll walk up. They will go to Chick-Fil-A then they go to the park and there's {the dispensary}… I would be concerned that people are having marijuana and they're driving… how they're perceiving traffic, maybe not in the most careful way,” she said.
"I think the really telling thing is out of 114 counties in the state of Missouri, zero of them are attempting to ban these and out of the hundreds and hundreds of municipalities… only two of them are attempting to ban these sales,” Cardetti said. “These dispensaries generate hundreds of thousands of dollars of revenue ever year that can go to police departments, fire departments, and other community needs… They're going to get to decide for themselves whether they want to miss out on that revenue for years to come."
"We don't want this money,” Fluri said.
Tuesday, local voters will have the final say.
60% of voters would have to agree in order for that ban to pass. Under state law, localities can only ban recreational sales, not medical marijuana purchases. 5 On Your Side reached out to Root 66 for comment but has not heard back.