Massachusetts Medical Marijuana - In The News

As legislation relating to the local implementation of medical marijuana cultivation and dispensaries works its way through our Planning Board, Ordinance Committee, Finance Committee and City Council, I thought I'd post some recent articles from the Boston Globe and the Newburyport Daily News on the subject.  DPH is scheduled to announce the first rounds of licenses this week, by 1/31/14.

·                     "Marijuana bidders getting help from politically savvy" - Boston Globe, November 26, 2013.  Looks like some well-connected lobbyists are getting lots of work out of the roll-out of Registered Marijuana Dispensaries.

·                     “17 nonprofits eye medical marijuana dispensary licenses” – Boston Globe, Globe North Section, December 5, 2013.  This article is about the organizations seeking licenses on the North Shore of Boston.

·                     “Councilors propose zoning rules for medical marijuana facilities” – Newburyport Daily News, January 9, 2014.  An article on the measure sponsored by me and co-sponsored by Councilors Ferguson, Kelcourse and McClure.

·                     “Marijuana program chief named - Pick will decide who gets licenses” – Boston Globe, January 14, 2014.  New program chief for the medical marijuana program at DPH.

·                     “Children with epilepsy waiting for medical marijuana - Could be an answer for affliction, but it’s not here yet” – Boston Globe, January 26, 2014.  A friend of my wife similarly put out a recent plea for action; she has a child with a seizure disorder but lives in New York State, which does not currently allow for medical marijuana.

·                     “Mass. puts the ‘medical’ in marijuana” – Boston Globe, Opinion, January 28, 2014.  Opinion piece noting that MA's program has a strong focus on the medical component of marijuana cultivation, production and distribution.

·                     “Banks shun fledgling marijuana firms in Mass - Prospects of violating federal law deter lending” – Boston Globe, January 29, 2014.  Interesting business wrinkle for the providers involved.

 Bonus link: CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta, on why he changed his mind about medical marijuana.  Click here for link.