Pubdate: Sun, 25 Nov 2012
Source: Gloucester Daily Times (MA)
Copyright: 2012 Eagle Tribune Publishing Company
Website: http://www.gloucestertimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/169

CITY, TOWN OFFICIALS MUST DISCUSS MED POT 'DISPENSARIES'

Now that the possession and use of marijuna for medicinal purposes has
been given an emphatic approval by voters - including those in all
four Cape Ann communities - local and state officials who almost
universally opposed it are understandably grappling with how to implement.

But while state lawmakers say it will have to undergo some revision -
and it no doubt will to meet legal muster - they must also realize
they simply cannot weed out, so to speak, the intent or spirit of the
measure that drew wide voter support. That should mean that at least
one or up to five medical marijuana "dispensaries" must be made
available for consumers in each county.

Given its size and population, Essex County could well be pegged to
handle five such outlets  and, if this is the way we're headed, one
should indeed be somewhere on Cape Ann, lest residents here be forced
to travel to places like Beverly or Lynn to essentially get their
prescriptions filled for a treatment that's now been rendered legal.

With that in mind, Peabody mayor Ted Bettencourt said last week that
he will will seek to outlaw "medical marijuana treatment shops" in his
city, and will bring a proposal to Peabody's City Council Tuesday
night. And in nearby Danvers, Selectman Dan Bennett - guessing that a
community would have legal difficulty banning dispensaries altogether
- - is urging his fellow board members to start planning for the
possibility that a dispensary will open in Danvers, while the town's
attorneys are now looking into the town's options.

Given these scenarios, it's vital for municipal officials across Cape
Ann, and especially in Gloucester, to start making their own plans for
how to address this issue as well.

Since marijuana would only be legal for those carryiung prescriptions,
should it be dispensed from existing pharmacies? What would Gloucester
do if a current pharmacy sought to be Cape Ann's licensed dispensary?

Could the location of any dispensary be regulated by zoning? Should
the city's Health Departent have a role? And would the city  or a town
  have any monitoring access, or responsibility?

Those are all questions local officials will need to address in the
months ahead. And, as we're seeing in Danvers and Peabody, the time to
start discussing them is now.
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MAP posted-by: Matt