KENT, Conn.—Last winter, the Planning and Zoning Commission’s Cannabis Subcommittee conducted a survey of attitudes toward cannabis businesses in Kent.
In April, an executive summary of the responses was published and now an ordinance governing recreational sales in the town is to be taken to a referendum vote on Tuesday, Nov. 4.
The summary, as published in the Wednesday, April 9, 2025, issue of the Kent Dispatch, reported that 44 percent of respondents oppose or strongly oppose recreational cannabis retail stores in Kent and highlighted that 31 percent of those respondents strongly oppose it. It was noted that this is the largest single voting group on this question.
According to the summary, only 29 percent support or strongly support such stores.
But Selectman Lynn Mellis Worthington has questioned these percentages and asked Land Use Administrator Tai Kern and the Cannabis Subcommittee to re-examine the numbers and percentages. She said her analysis of the figures paints a different picture of public opinion and she asked that a revised report be shared with voters online prior to the ballot vote.
According to Worthington, survey results show that 98 persons strongly support recreational sales and 109 support them, for a total of 207 in favor of sales. When divided by 472, the total number of respondents, this yields a percentage of 43.8.
One hundred and forty-six persons strongly opposed retail sales and 68 are opposed for a total of 214 persons or 45.3 percent.
The division was wider when the question concerned sales of medical marijuana. There, a total of 249 persons, or 52.7 percent, favored or strongly favored the sales as compared to 152 or 32.2 percent that were opposed or strongly opposed.
First Selectman Marty Lindenmayer has said all correspondence and reports received by the town on the topic of cannabis will be posted on the town’s website, in a manner similar to what was done for the Lake Waramaug wake boat issue.
Lindenmayer has decided to remove the executive summary from the survey results when they are posted on the town’s website in advance of the Nov. 4 ballot vote. The survey data will stand on its own.
The article mistakenly represents the issue as a matter of interpretation. It is not. The factual data of the survey show a near-even split on allowing cannabis retail sales in Kent. The survey summary’s claim of stronger opposition is not supported by the numbers. Readers can see this, themselves, in the document at https://www.townofkentct.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif3311/f/uploads/cannabis_survey_results.pdf (see page 5, marked as page “3/18” in the data section). The Kent First Selectman has agreed that the summary will be struck from the document. Kent Dispatch should issue a correction to ensure voters are accurately informed.
It is surprising that the summary was published in the Wednesday, April 9, 2025, issue of the Kent Dispatch without a fact check – even a cursory review of the underlying results would have revealed that the summary is incorrect and misleading.
This article (“Selectman questions cannabis survey summary.” The Kent Dispatch. 10/3/2025) may be inaccurate as well. Is it Selectperson Worthington who has questioned the accuracy of the summary – a review of the correspondence appears to indicate not?