The Inverness City Council on Tuesday, June 17, 2026, approved on first reading an ordinance that would ban future medical marijuana dispensaries from locating in the city. The ordinance passed 4-1, with Councilwoman Jacquie Hepfer voting against it. The city of Crystal River and Citrus County have already passed bans on the dispensaries.
There are eight dispensaries in Citrus County, with two located within Inverness city limits. The Green Dragon Dispensary is one of several medical marijuana dispensaries inside the Inverness city limits, located in the former Capital City bank building in the Inverness Shopping Plaza on U.S. 41. The ordinance returns July 7, 2026, for final approval.
Public comment was one-sided, with eight speakers supporting the ordinance and none opposing it. Councilwoman Jacquie Hepfer said she was not convinced the public was making a good-faith argument for the ban, citing concerns that similar arguments could be made about other prescription medications.
The Inverness City Council’s decision is part of a larger trend in Citrus County, where several municipalities have banned medical marijuana dispensaries. The county has already passed a ban, and the city of Crystal River has also banned the dispensaries.
Originally reported by Citrus County Chronicle – Inverness
Sources: Citrus County Chronicle – Inverness
