This just in from Mayor Fuller…
Garden Remedies at 697 Washington Street in Newtonville currently is an appointment only medical marijuana dispensary. It is scheduled to have its final inspection by state regulatory officials this Thursday, May 9.
The exact opening date next week will be determined after the results of the inspection are finalized by the state Cannabis Control Commission, most likely late Friday afternoon.
Garden Remedies will become the 16th adult-use retail establishment to open in Massachusetts but only the second one in Greater Boston. In March, a store opened on Rt. 9/Boylston Street in Brookline Village.
I continue to be in close touch with Garden Remedies working with Newton Police, Law, Transportation, Health & Human Services and Planning Departments to have an orderly and safe opening.
Consistent with the special permit approved by the City Council, retail customers at least 21 years old with valid, government-issued identification will be allowed entrance by appointment only. Each person is allotted a 15-minute appointment for at least the first week so we can assess lines, traffic, parking and other issues. Ten-minute appointments might be scheduled after the first week.
There is no customer parking at Garden Remedies now. An onsite parking lot will open this summer. Metered parking is available on Washington Street.
Garden Remedies is hiring its own security. In addition, they are hiring Newton Police details for at least the first 90 days to help with traffic, parking and any other issues. The Newton Police Department will also be doing directed patrols in the area.
Garden Remedies’ hours are Monday through Thursday 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., and Friday and Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. They will be closed on Sundays.
Cypress Tree Granted Special Permit for Retail Sales
The City Council voted (18-2) on Monday night to grant a special permit for a second adult retail marijuana store. Cypress Tree Management is located at 24-26 Elliot Street, just off Rt. 9/Boylston Street at the edge of Newton Highlands and Newton Upper Falls. The City Council had already granted Cypress Tree approval for a registered medical marijuana dispensary at this location. But, the medical marijuana dispensary has not yet opened.
I’m betting that everything will go smoothly and that a year from now (make that 6 months from now) few will even take notice that this establishment is where it is. That is except for those that go there to purchase a highly regulated amount of the bewitching weed.
PS. Less than a week ago, I began using CBD cannabis oil for early Parkinson’s onset and some arthritic and stiffness problems from overdoing it with swimming laps. All I can say is that most of the problems have totally vanished and the rest are a small fraction of what they were before taking this stuff. I can also get out of my easy chair without holding onto anything. Can’t say if this will be a permanent cure, but it sure is an improvement. Of course, a few years ago I could have been arrested for possessing this cannabis product, even thought it has absolutely no hallucinatory qualities. Insanity.
Of course, this is just me and I’m only a week into this. No guarantees for anyone else.
Bob you have clearly been compromised and are now just another shill for big marijuana. Redeem yourself by throwing out that CBD and getting a doctor’s prescription for a high priced pharmaceutical product with proven detrimental side effects.
It is funny, but the addition of the second recreational seller on Washington Street is actually a relief. That one has a large parking lot, and the addition should lower the overuse of any one particular spot. Probably not great for Garden Remedies from a market share perspective, but better overall.
The more shops that open up, the less the impact will be on any one area.
@Dulles…the reason pharmaceutical products have “proven detrimental side effects” is because getting a pharmaceutical product approved requires approval by the FDA. Federal regulations require that drugs be studies in multiple, large randomized trials and any adverse events must be reported on its labeling (even those that rarely occur). I’m not debating whether CBD should be legal, just saying that your dig at pharmaceuticals is not an apples to apples comparison.
To me personally, this statewide rollout of cannabis shops is an awe inspiring demonstration of freedom. It’s something elected “leaders” should have done through legislation years ago. Critics can knock the ballot initiative process all they want. Cannabis would still be illegal in Massachusetts if we waited for the politicians to change the laws.
Massachusetts lawmakers have completely whiffed on two of the most significant social changes of our lifetimes, cannabis reform [decided by voters], and marriage equality [decided by courts]. Politicians may have a nice view from Beacon Hill. But they sure don’t have much vision.
Gee Mike, I had no idea you felt our state and local leaders dropped the ball on marijuana. Surprised you’ve never brought it up before.
Does Rihanna Kidwell own Cypress Tree. Her name appears
on Cypress Tree Developments.
Are you disagreeing with my point Greg, or just pointing out the consistency of my position?
Actually just gently ribbing you my friend. I admire your passion for this, however perhaps maybe this once this would be an occasion when you’d say “hey this is good news” and leave it at that.
My best reply would be to say, “cannabis is no laughing matter.” But let’s pretend I didn’t say that. I will stop yapping about this so much when Newton has 8 stores up and running.
@Independent Man, fair enough, though it was a jab against big pharma in levity.
The FDA-approved drug Marinol is THC. The pharmaceutical industry sells Marinol for just under $700 for 60 doses – about 150mg total of processed THC. You have about 150mg of THC in a gram of average weed. At NETA Brookline a gram of flower costs about … 15 bucks.
Hopefully the recent $9 million grant to study health effects of cannabis at Harvard and MIT will shed much-needed light on what this drug can and cannot do effectively, and the extent of risks vs benefits. Millenia of circumstantial evidence would at last be backed by modern scientific studies.
@Dulles. Another travesty is that America’s foolish, short sighted and reactionary drug laws prevented the Federal Government from undertaking even the most fundamental research into the benefits and drawbacks of CBD products. The EU has done some research on both CBD and THC, but it’s been late to the game. A lot of catch up to do.
@Colleen Minaker this is Cypress Management https://www.mass.gov/files/documents/2018/02/14/cypress-tree-management-mop-1-2018-1-18-redacted.pdf
I think Rhanna’s co is Cypress Tree Development which is a real estate development co. Don’t think they are related.
The start of adult us cannabis sales this past weekend in Newton went practically unnoticed. But it proved that the Newton City Council is about as accurate as the Mayans when it comes to end of the world predictions.
Did Mayor Fuller show up for the historic event???
Kudos to the City for a completely unremarkable opening. I drove by Garden Remedies on Saturday and Today. No lines, no parking issues, lots of security. There was far more traffic and lines at Cabots (which makes sense, because Cabots is terrific).