AMHERST — Legalization of recreational marijuana in Massachusetts, and the possibility that it could increase public safety calls and create numerous retail pot shops, is prompting Amherst officials to call on state leaders to make changes to the law.

In a Dec. 19 letter signed by Select Board Chairwoman Alisa Brewer sent to State Senate President Stanley Rosenberg, D-Amherst, and Speaker of the House Robert DeLeo, the Select Board is asking that communities be given mechanisms to delay all sales of recreational marijuana, be allowed to build in distinctions between stores selling medical and recreational marijuana, be able to put limits on home grows and be permitted to increase the maximum local options sales taxes.

Amherst voters have overwhelming support for the legalization of marijuana at the Nov. 8 election, with nearly three-quarters in favor. But with the median age of residents 21.6 years old, Brewer writes “we respectfully request that the Legislature review several key elements that concern the Select Board.”

“With such a youthful population… we are particularly concerned that we will not have sufficient time to adequately address the health and safety concerns within the timeframe included in the law.”

Town Manager Paul Bockelman said in an interview Tuesday that the expectation is that Amherst will be unusually affected by recreational marijuana sales and will be “ground zero” as a location companies want to locate to.

“This is encouraging changes to the law in anticipation that Amherst will be at the forefront of businesses that want to open,” Bockelman said.

The letter also references how Amherst’s decisions could affect neighboring towns.

“We also need more time to consider how our decisions impact bordering communities with significant numbers of college-age residents, including Hadley, Sunderland and Belchertown,” Brewer wrote.

Even with the letter, the Select Board may still be considering a moratorium on retail shops.

Board member Constance Kruger said she learned at a recent statewide conference on recreational marijuana that many cities and towns are seeking such moratoriums, while others are considering townwide referendum votes that could limit the number distributors and sales points.

Amherst, she said, could limit retail marijuana stores to 20 percent of the number of off-premise alcohol licenses, or restrict them to the areas where licensed medical marijuana facilities exist.

Though no medical marijuana dispensaries are open, four are in the process of opening, with three planned for University Drive.

Scott Merzbach can be reached at smerzbach@gazettenet.com