Cannabis businesses remain barred from Newtown, and that is not sitting well with one area businessman. Tom Macre is the founder of Still River Wellness, a medical marijuana dispensary in Torrington. He was petitioning Newtown for permission to open a retail cannabis store on Route 25. But leaders denied his petition that called for the town to lift the ban on cannabis businesses… saying they had more concerns than reassurances… specifically concerns about whether the dispensary would simply encourage people to purchase on the black market. Macre responded at a public hearing that producers have lowered their prices so new prices will be on par with the black market. He also pointed to studies showing that crime in the area of his current retail cannabis dispensary in Torrington, was less of a concern than when it first opened. Police actually say there was no increase of crime, and in fact, there was actually a deterrence because of the high security.