Norman Rockwell Museum site in Vermont eyed as medical marijuana dispensary

Credit: Alfred Eisenstaedt

Credit: Alfred Eisenstaedt

Famed illustrator Norman Rockwell was noted for smoking a pipe.

Now, a Vermont father and son are exploring a different kind of smoke that will be housed in the building that contains the Norman Rockwell Museum.

Representatives of Lily Pad Organics, Inc., want to set up Vermont's fifth medical marijuana dispensary at the museum site, the Rutland Herald reported.

Daniel Reilly Sr. and Daniel Reilly Jr. are seeking approval to establish a dispensary at the museum site. The Rutland Town Board will discuss the issue on Aug. 22. The museum property has been for sale for several years, the Rutland Herald reported.

Gov. Phil Scott recently signed legislation that increased the number of state-approved marijuana dispensaries from four to five. There have been seven applicants for the new dispensary certificate, said Lindsay Wells, administrator for the medical marijuana program for the Department of Public Safety.

The four current legal dispensaries are in Brandon, Burlington, Brattleboro and Montpelier, the Rutland Herald reported.

Wells said a decision on the fifth dispensary would be made in September. The panel that will make a recommendation to Tom Anderson, the state’s public safety commissioner, will meet Sept. 11.

Rockwell is known for his illustrations that captured small-town American life. His work appeared on more than 300 covers of The Saturday Evening Post.

Rockwell lived in Arlington, Vermont, from 1943 to 1953.

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