Garden Remedies, Inc. has been granted a provisional license by the State of Massachusetts to open a medical marijuana dispensary at 697 Washington Street in Newtonville. They have asked the Ward 2 Aldermen to call a meeting so they can share their plans for the dispensary with the community. Dr. Karen Munkacy, the Chief Executive Officer of Garden Remedies, and members of her team will make a brief presentation and then will be available to answer questions. We will also explain the special permit process needed to approve this project.
The meeting will be held on Thursday April 17 at 7:30 p.m. at the Boys and Girls Club at 675 Watertown Street.
I have a mother with Parkinson’s Disease who may one day need medical marijuana. But I hope this meeting won’t keep people away from Historic Newton’s upcoming civil rights panel, also Thursday, April 17 (7:00-9:00 PM at the Newton Senior Center). It’s not often you get to hear from a real, live Freedom Rider (Paul Breines), among other distinguished activists.
This being Newton, where every proposal no matter how benign seems to attract some amount of vehement opposition, I’m amazed that there has yet to be any public backlash over the marijuana dispensaries.
My guess is that it just hasn’t started yet.
Jerry Reilly — I thought the location might cause some concern — it’s mid-way between a popular ice cream parlor (kids) and a liquor store (vices). But frankly, the extensive application materials for this one dispensary and the apparent quality of the principal investors and directors seem like the right fit administratively.
Medical marijuana is a joke. Why can’t the drug, be sold at CVS or Walgreens with a perscription.
While the medicinal uses are legitimate, anyone can get a “prescription.” It is de facto legalization (which I am fully in favor of, despite having never smoked marijuana and having no interest to either).
Anyone who isn’t a vocal prohibitionist with regard to alcohol has no leg to stand on when opposing MJ.
Personally I think possession of personal amounts of any drug should be decriminalized, but marijuana specifically has the unique attribute which is that it is less harmful and almost as widely used as alcohol.
Mike
Mike (Not Striar): This new medical marijuana distribution system is in fact legalization for many. The concept that we voted was for “chronic, debilitating conditions” and specific conditions were mentioned. The concept also required a doctor’s prescription, documentation of conditions and follow-up care. Each of these concepts were just window dressing on this legalization concept. Chronic, debilitating means for many occasional depression or anxiety, for example. A doctor’s documentation, prescription and follow-up care be that the dispensary itself, with no prior medical history available. The follow-up need not be in person, you can do it by email, texting and skype. If you think this is an exaggeration, take a listen to WBUR’s program about a clinic in Burlington MA. This clinic says 50% of it’s prescriptions go to patients for psychiatric conditions. http://www.wbur.org/2014/02/27/medical-marijuana-clinics
Also take a look at the website for this clinic: http://integr8mass.com/
I know… I know people with cards, its a joke. Within a couple years I’m sure it’ll be legalized as it is in Colorado and Washington.
Mike
I wouldn’t underestimate the power of anti freedom zealots to slow marijuana reforms. California passed medical marijuana legislation nearly 20 years ago, and conservatives have not only managed to stall recreational legalization, they’ve actually been able to shut down most of the medical dispensaries in the state. Just the other day new mayor Martin Walsh made it clear he’s going to try and block dispensaries from opening in Boston. And of course here in Newton the Board of Aldermen made it particularly difficult to open a dispensary by adding a Special Permit requirement.
Let’s remember, it’s been a year and a half since Massachusetts voters legalized medical marijuana, and there’s still not a single dispensary open anywhere in the state. In large part the blame falls on Attorney General [and Gubernatorial wannabee] Martha Coakley, who handed every close-minded local politician the power to obstruct the will of the voters by placing moratoriums on medical dispensaries. That’s the same Martha Coakley who just the other day tried to block doctors in Massachusetts from prescribing a new pharmaceutical medication for patients suffering from debilitating pain. When you have mindless politicians like that in office, who are willing to let seriously ill patients suffer, they certainly are going to use their power to block recreational marijuana reform.
Ahhh Martha Coakley (I’ve had my back and fourths with her absurd overreach regarding gun issues)… It doesn’t matter, Newtonites will line up to vote for her just for the [D], just like they did for Obama despite him being Bush part II, now with less transparency. Massachusetts, where the majority votes for a regressive tax (that means it hits poor people more harshly) because Deval Patrick told them to…
And no, the “morally righteous” conservatives are no help either. Two groups of idiots cut from the same cloth, working together to…
I’ll end my rant there.
I was gonna say once it’s legalized federally all bets are off… but then I remembered Massachusetts airs on the side of infringing upon your freedom.
A lot of us would be happy to vote against Coakley if the Republicans field someone we can stomach voting for. It’s not like we haven’t had Republican governors winning comfortable margins of victory in the past couple of decades.
Relax Mike S., you will get your dispensary here in Newton. When was the last special permit not granted ?
Thank God for liberalism ! And having rights taken away!
Thanks, Blueprintbill. I’m sure your words will offer comfort to the patients who have been waiting a year and a half to have their prescriptions filled. At least those patients who didn’t die while they were waiting.