Local Medical Marijuana Restrictions 'Premature,' Advocate Says
The annual town meeting is Saturday.
Adopting local medical marijuana restrictions is "premature, since the state has yet to issue regulations that will address many aspects of treatment center operation," Massachusetts Patient Advocacy Alliance Executive Director Matt Allen said Wednesday.
The Westborough Planning Board will ask voters at Saturday’s annual town meeting to approve zoning restrictions -- not a total ban -- on medical marijuana dispensaries and growing in town, Chairman Lester Hensley said today.
The bylaw proposal included the restrictions as a fall-back option in case the Massachusetts attorney general's office struck down such a local ban. Wednesday, the attorney general struck down Wakefield's ban, according to the Boston Globe.
The town meeting starts at 1 p.m. at Westborough High School.
The proposal is the board's response to Massachusetts' new medical marijuana law, which took effect Jan. 1. Voters approved the new law at the Nov. 6 statewide election. Westborough residents supported the measure, Question 3 on the ballot, 5,367 to 3,347.
No medical marijuana advocates spoke against the proposal during the planning board's Feb. 5 public hearing.
Allen said his organization consists of "medical marijuana patients, family members, medical professionals, and public health groups from across the Commonwealth. We are currently focused on supporting the promulgation of strong and balanced regulations at the state level.”
The alliance does not oppose "local regulation of medical treatment centers," Allen said.
“The overwhelming majority of cities and towns in the Commonwealth have taken no action to restrict operation of medical marijuana treatment centers because they understand that many concerns will be addressed by regulations issued at the state level in May,” Allen said.
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health plans to present draft state regulations on March 29, the Globe reports.
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Westborough High School
90 W Main St, Westborough, MA
More from the web
- Massachusetts Patient Advocacy http://www.masspatients.org/site/?q=node/1
Facts Matter
8:19 am on Friday, March 15, 2013
The Mass Municipal Assn has urged communities to prepare and take local action prior to the release of the first 35 marijuana dispensary licenses by DPH beginning this year. We don't need lobbyists for the marijuana industry advising us on how to make local policy. The location of marijuana stores and home grows in local communities will not be addressed by state regulations. This is a home rule issue. Land uses within municipal boundaries are the purview of local government. California, Montana, Colorado, Michigan other "medical" marijuana states now have lots of litigation pending between marijuana grow sites, dispensaries, treatment centers, clinics, stores, (or "clubs" or "dens" as the lexicon evolves) and their local communities unhappy with neighborhood impacts of marijuana businesses operating with NO onsite medical or pharmaceutical oversight whatsoever. Getting out ahead of the push to site marijuana stores and cultivation sites anywhere they want in a town is the responsible action for a planning board to take. I'm only sorry such a loose and open law is now on the books. Even in the Netherlands, 74% of communities ban cannabis. The AG ruled this week that a Town cannot decide for itself whether it wants a federally illegal business and activity operating within its town borders. I'd like AG Martha Coakley to explain that to our community members. Thank you Westborough public officials for your good work and forward thinking on this issue.
Bruce Tretter
2:21 pm on Friday, March 15, 2013
The Westborough Town Planner and Planning Board have demonstrated an outstanding example of leadership by addressing a problem and crafting a well researched and thought out proposal. Really looking forward to supporting their effort at Town Meeting tomorrow.