BIDDEFORD — In November, a citizen’s initiative to allow expanded rights of those using marijuana as prescribed by a medical doctor was passed in the state.

State legislators are close to finalizing a bill, which, among other things, will spell out how dispensaries that would sell the substance are to be established.

To ensure that nothing takes place in Biddeford, prior to the passage of a state ruling about the creation of these dispensaries, the City of Biddeford, is one of the latest communities to pass a moratorium on setting up medical marijuana dispensaries within its borders.

Last week, the City Council voted unanimously to approve the six-month moratorium.

According to the state’s Web site, Brewer, Auburn, Ellsworth and South Portland are among the communities that have also enacted or plan to enact similar moratoriums.

“We really don’t know what’s going to come out of the Legislature,” said City Planner Greg Tansley, who favors the moratorium. “Let them do their work and then (we’ll) decide how to react on the local level” if needed, he said.

According to the version of the bill voted out of legislative committee on Thursday, the state will allow the establishment of only eight dispensaries ”“ one in each of the state’s eight public health zones.

If this version of the bill passes it’s unclear where these dispensaries would be located, and it’s unclear whether or not one would end up in Biddeford.

Since the passage of the referendum in November, “We had one inquiry,” said City Planner John Bubier, from someone interested in establishing a dispensary for medical marijuana within the city limits.

The purpose of the moratorium is not to keep a dispensary out of the city, he said, but to make sure if a dispensary were established it would follow state statute.

During their discussion of the issues, several of the councilors spoke in favor of allowing a dispensary in Biddeford.

“If I had my way, I’d take all the alcohol off the shelves and replace it with marijuana,” said Councilor George “Pete” Lamontagne.

Although she said she was against drugs, Mayor Joanne Twomey, said she was in favor of the use of medical marijuana for those who need it. She spoke of her late husband who had no appetite before his death while he was dying of cancer.

“When you have a husband at home who can’t eat, you try anything,” Twomey said. “This is not a joke for me.”

If the state has not finished its work at the end of the six months, the council could extend the moratorium, said Tansley.

— Staff Writer Dina Mendros can be contacted at 282-1535, Ext. 324 or dmendros@journaltribune.com.