Communications and Media

The stakeholder groups in this conflict consist of the community members for and against marijuana shops for medical purposes. The Windsor town board is considered the community members. In addition, MM dispensaries and law enforcement agencies all have an involvement in this community conflict.

The Windsor Community group against MM dispensaries leads by Windsor resident Bill Miller is identified with the following frames. First, the stakeholder group against the dispensaries sees this as a negative impact on society. As the substantive frame indicates the members perceive that anything associated with marijuana, because once illegal, will have negative consequences for the town. Next, the characterization frame also associates the evils of marijuana in the past with today and the residents see that there is no place for this in their community. They don t want to be known as a community that would allow this activity, in their opinion. The process frame for Miller is that he really does not believe in a process for this activity, it should simply not be allowed in his town. Miller, representing those against MM dispensaries does not leave much room for conflict resolution to this community conflict. And last, the aspiration frame for Miller and his followers include the fact his view is the only view that is correct and he will not quit until everyone else sees it this way and follows his aspiration for the issue.

On the other hand, the residents of Windsor for MM dispensaries are identified as willing to follow the law at hand which is in favor of having the dispensaries for those in medical need. They see it as a new issue that is not that big of deal. For the characterization frame, they look at changes in the past legislation as a new way for the future. They are not considering any wrong doing with marijuana in the past downplaying the fact that it is a drug. The process frame includes an open door to discuss the issue, which will also include work from the current legislation allowing MM dispensaries. Last, the aspiration frame would include the view of residents to allow such places throughout the community. Their claim that sick people should not have to drive or search for places to get the drug.

 The first stakeholder group (community members against MM dispensaries) would be asked what they think the point of the legislation was to allow such use of marijuana How did you think patients would get the drugs The second stakeholder group (community members for MM dispensaries) would be asked what impact do they think the drug would have on non-medical patients (i.e. students, teenagers, etc.) And, what impact do you think going from one extreme to the other, virtually overnight, will have on the community

The frames that prohibit collaborative resolution of this issue are both the substantive frame and the characterization frame. Both of these frames involve current face value of the issue while also looking at trends in the past to gain perspective. I don t think either of these frames have relevance in the current issue because this is a new issue, one that has never been examined before. It is important to take out the past when determining a resolution to this conflict. It is necessary to look only at the current legislation and the relevant current issues associated with marijuana use for medical purposes and the shops used to sale the drug.

As a consultant for the City of Windsor I would help the community reframe this conflict. I think it is important first to explain how the process frame may be the best frame when working out this current community conflict. I would suggest that the substantive frame only appears to be relevant for each group independently, it does not serve a purpose for this current conflict because both groups are only considering what they feel is important to them. The information presented by the members of the community are often one-sided and do not include the thinking process of the other members. The characterization frame seems to work in more favor for the opponents of such actions. This is new legislation with new mandates that will require both groups to look at the issue with a different lens. We cannot use the negative connotations of marijuana in the pass to direct the purpose of it today for the City of Windsor. I would clearly reframe by looking at the process frame and then perhaps the other frames mentioned can be explained but both groups have to agree on some aspects to even try to begin to move forward in working out this conflict.