How Ag From Massachusetts Sees It

[+washtenaut]

Just Imagine...... (this is from Massachusetts)

 

 

State attorney general’s office strikes down local ban on medical marijuana dispensaries

E-mail | Print | Comments (120) 03/13/2013 4:42 PM

 

http://boston.com/metrodesk/2013/03/...H7I/story.html

 

 

By Peter Schworm and Kay Lazar, Globe Staff

 

The state attorney general’s office today struck down Wakefield’s ban on medical marijuana dispensaries, ruling that towns can regulate, but not prohibit the centers under state law.

 

Such bans would frustrate the purpose of the medical marijuana law, passed by referendum last fall, that allows patients with certain medical conditions to obtain marijuana for medical use, the ruling said.

 

“The act’s legislative purpose could not be served if a municipality could prohibit treatment centers within its borders, for if one municipality could do so, presumably all could do so,” the office said.

 

Wednesday’s ruling addressed only Wakefield’s prohibition. Other Massachusetts communities have also approved bans, fearing the centers would spur an increase in crime. Other communities have focused on limiting where the centers can operate.

 

In a separate decision, the attorney general’s office approved Burlington’s temporary moratorium on medical marijuana treatment centers, which bans such centers until mid-2014.

 

Geoffrey Beckwith, executive director of the Massachusetts Municipal Association, said the attorney general’s ruling allowing cities and towns to adopt moratoriums on medical marijuana treatment centers sends a clear signal that communities can retain control over many aspects of the contentious issue.

 

“Certainly the door is open, and we believe wide open, for communities to be able to regulate this,” Beckwith said. “For example, they will be able to prescribe the locations where a facility could be allowed or not allowed, for example not in a residential area, not near schools, not in a downtown commercial district.”

 

The association continues to push for a six-month delay, until Oct. 1, in implementing the law, because most communities do not hold town meetings or elections until later this spring, making it difficult for them to enact bylaws before the new marijuana rules are scheduled to go into effect.

 

State public health regulators today announced that they will release draft regulations of the rules on March 29, hold public hearings on April 19, and vote on the final rules May 8. If approved those rules will go into effect May 24.

Peter Schworm can be reached at

schworm@globe.com

. Follow him on Twitter @globepete.

[cristinew]

Also if one opens in your area YOU will not be allowed to grow just Imagine

 

allows patients with debilitating medical conditions to possess up to a 60-day supply of medical marijuana, and it requires the Department of Public Health to register up to 35 medical marijuana treatment centers — non-profit entities legally authorized to cultivate, process, transport, and distribute medical marijuana — by January 1, 2014. Patients who have limited access to treatment centers may register with the department to cultivate their own limited supply of medical marijuana.

[phaquetoo]

Im sure glad I live where I live, Im at least 2.5 miles from town 3 miles from the only school and even further from any church! as long as they dont take our grow rites away i should be good in my location, the most ive heard around here lately and it wasnt in the news, is 2 idiot c.g's lost all of their ballast in the flood we just had lol, ummmm common sense says dont put your ballast on the floor and try to get them out of the room if at all possible!

 

Peace

Jim

[legacy]

I bet their AG gets reelected for life!

 

I wish ours fought for the people instead of serving the few.