BUCKFIELD — On the same day possession of recreational marijuana became legal in Maine, voters in Buckfield passed a 180-day moratorium on retail marijuana establishments and social clubs in town. 

Nine residents, including selectmen, cast votes in favor of the moratorium ordinance at Monday’s special town meeting. There was no discussion on it.

Terry Hayes moderated the meeting.

The three-page ordinance gives the town time to review the Marijuana Legalization Act, which Mainers narrowly passed in November 2016 to make recreational marijuana legal in the Pine Tree State. It allows selectmen, the Planning Board and town administration to gather advice from law enforcement and “study the town’s current ordinances to determine land use and other regulatory implications of retail marijuana establishments,” stores and social clubs and determine if and where they should be allowed in town, along with conditions for approval.

On Thursday, the Legislature unanimously approved legislation to delay the retail sale and purchase of marijuana until February 2018 so regulations can be written to govern the process.

Gov. Paul LePage signed the legislation Friday, after initially saying he wouldn’t.

On Monday, possession of recreational marijuana became legal and LePage ordered the Bureau of Alcoholic Beverages and Lottery Operations to take over rule-making from the ballot-approved authority of the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry.

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