Why Camden Residents Are Voting No to Articles 3 and 4 on June 13
Andrea Palise, local small business owner, Bubbles & Beans Children's Cosignment ​
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Long-time local business owner and CHRHS parent Andrea opens up about her very real and personal experience with teen marijuana abuse. She explains why as a prominent member of our community, a local children's store owner and parent she is urging residents to vote NO on articles 3 and 4.
Letters to the Editor​
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"Cannabis shops are only good for the owners making a profit"
By Scott Freeman
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"Adding retail marijuana stores to our town certainly won't be a net positive"
By Sophie Piconi
"Articles 3 and 4 are zoning questions and nothing else. I think the following characteristics make [pot shops] substantially different"
By Kate Bates
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Plus letters from Kristen Smith, Jesse Bifulco, Jeffrey Lewis and more.
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Keep making your voices heard Camden!
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Gary, local small business owner, Lily, Lupine & Fern ​
Gary is a self-admitted "non-professional speaker" but doesn't mince his words as to why he's urging fellow shopkeepers and residents to vote NO to articles 3 and 4 on June 13 and keep Camden free of pot shops.
Susan Butterworth, Nurse Practioner
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Susan works on the front-lines of the health-care system in the greater Camden-Rockland area and sees the ravages of substance abuse first hand every day in her job as an NP. Watch her video and vote NO on June 13 to having Camden contribute to the epidemic of rising teenage marijuana abuse and addiction in our town and country.
Letter to the Editor from Jeffrey Lewis, director at Camden Cares
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"Towns that reject retail cannabis are not clinging to the past; they are protecting their future. They comprise most towns in Maine, including each of our closest neighbors. Rockport and Hope have already said no to retail cannabis. Lincolnville and Appleton are wise to go slow on this. For Camden to be the only town in our school district to rush into retail pot sales would be no proud distinction."
Letter to the Editor from Kenneth Newman, Camden resident, local business owner, and veterinarian.
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Kenneth Newman writes in the Camden Herald (4/30/23) that cannabis is an unnecessary risk to our children, our pets, and our town. He cites data from an American Academy of Pediatrics study that found an 1375% increase in unintentional cannabis exposure in children ages 5 and under between 2017 - 2021.
Beverly, Camden resident​
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Beverly moved to Camden in 1994, smitten by the town's beauty, history, and quality of life - and she hasn't looked back. Hear why she will be voting NO to articles 3 and 4 on the June 13 ballot.
Dominic Piconi, Camden resident
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Dominic Piconi, Watershed School class of '23, explains why his first vote as an adult is going to be to vote NO to cannabis dispensaries on June 13th.
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Myth vs. Reality: Who's really behind the effort to bring pot shops to Camden
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The cannabis dispensary owners who have been spearheading the effort to bring pot shops to Camden have repeatedly claimed to be "a local business" as part of their appeal to voters. Camden Cares found the real story on the State of Maine's website.
Nancy Leonard, Camden resident and owner of Leonard's on Elm Street
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40 years ago, Leonard's got its start as "L.E. Leonard's" - a fun and funky boutique owned by Linda Leonard. Nancy picked up where Linda left off and opened Leonard's focused on clothing, jewelry, and accessories for the mature woman. Hear from a local, family-owned business leader about why she thinks pot shops don't belong in Camden.
Letter to the Editor from Jesse Bifulco, Camden resident
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Jesse Bifulco, Board Member at Camden Cares, writes in the Camden Herald (4/19/23) about why he thinks cannabis dispensaries in Camden are a bad idea, with links to studies and data from credible sources about what's happened in other cities and towns across the country.