Medical Marijuana Companies Eye Proctor

PROCTOR - Proctor has an interstate and highway running through its town, along with a lot of room for potential development, which are just two big attention grabbers of medical cannabis businesses. "You can't get high off the pills or the oil after it's been processed," Proctor Mayor Dave Brenna said. Brenna told FOX 21 Friday that Sano Remedies, a company producing pharmaceutical cannabis, first knocked on Duluth’s door. "Duluth didn't want them," said Brenna. So company leaders headed up the highway and met with Proctor city officials to propose opening up a 1,500-square foot pharmacy to sell the liquid and pill form of medical marijuana to people fighting painful and terminal illnesses."You would go through in secured doors, they would have a waiting area for the customers and then a desk that they would dispense out of," said Brenna. Minnesota Medical Marijuana LLC has also jumped on the band wagon and proposing to build a nearly 25,000-square foot facility in Proctor to grow and dispense medical cannabis."It would be surrounded by a big fence and they would have security," said Brenna. “They would also have a corner where they would sale out of the pharmacy." Mayor Brenna says he is on board with both potential business ventures."I can see the medical aspects of this," said Brenna. On top of that, he also believes the medical marijuana facilities would help out the towns tax base and stimulate the economy by bringing in travelers."Our hope is that when they stop to buy they're medicine they might buy fuel from Proctor or stop at a restaurant and eat," said Brenna. Proctor Police Chief Walter Wobig says he welcomes new business, but he is concerned Proctor may fall victim to some of the issues facing other states with legalized marijuana."I currently just have one officer on at a time," said Brenna. “I don't believe one officer is going to be enough to address any major issues that we may have." Chief Wobig also fears potential robberies and burglaries at the facilities, long and threatening lines outside of the pharmacy and what Proctor will look like if -- years down the line -- recreational marijuana is legalized."We have a great community here, a great quality of life," said Wobig. “I want to keep that.""I'm thinking everybody is thinking it might turn into something like Last Place on Earth, and it won't," said Brenna. Both companies will present before city councilors and the public Monday, Oct. 6 in the city council chambers at 6 p.m. Locals are encouraged to attend.