Pubdate: Mon, 17 Jun 2013 Source: Enterprise, The (MA) Copyright: 2013 GateHouse Media Inc. Contact: http://www.enterprisenews.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3231 Author: Erin Shannon WHITMAN A POSSIBLE LOCATION FOR MEDICAL MARIJUANA GROWING FACILITY WHITMAN - Residents and town officials alike are considering the possibility of a medical marijuana manufacturing plant sprouting up in town. "I wouldn't be opposed but I'd like more information on what possible revenue it could bring to the town before making a decision," said Erin Gannon, a Whitman resident, while out on Washington Street Saturday afternoon. Board of Selectmen Chairman Carl Kowalski said at a meeting held last week that the town has been approached by Massachusetts Medical Marijuana Association Inc. as a possible location for a facility to grow medical marijuana. The proposed facility would grow the marijuana and then sell it to dispensaries elsewhere, said Town Admistrator Frank Lynam. "I have no problem with (a manufacturing plant," said James Krause, 36, who noted that he would be concerned if it was a dispensary. "I don't really mind either way," said Charlene Hill, 65, who says she is "neutral" about medical marijuana issues. Kowalski, Lynam and Finance Committee Chairman Bill Capocci met with officials at the Massachusetts Medical Marijuana Association Inc. recently to discuss if the town would be open to the idea of a manufacturing plant, said Selectman Dan Salvucci. "I have an interest in listening to any proposition for Whitman," said Salvucci. "They wouldn't be selling it here, they would be growing it for distribution. That's a safe operation. The people voted for it, so why would we close our eyes to it?" Under the new law, proposed in a referendum question that passed by a more than 25 percent margin on Election Day in November, doctors will be able to prescribe marijuana to patients suffering debilitating illnesses. A manufacturing facility handles growing, harvesting and packaging medical marijuana and then distributes it to retailers, said Bob Carp, the executive director of the Massachusetts Medical Marijuana Dispensers' Association. Carp, an attorney who handles dispensary applications throughout the country, said the application process is intense. The first step to open a growing plant requires the company to be a nonprofit and prove none of the members have any kind of felony arrest or prosecution along with a $1,500 fee. The second step is a formal application with a $30,000 nonrefundable application fee and proof the company has $500,000 in liquid capital and can provide security, said Carp. "Security is the biggest issue," said Carp. "That means locks, alarms and cameras. You have to show the state that you have the security necessary." Residents and town officials alike are considering the possibility of a medical marijuana manufacturing plant sprouting up in town. "I wouldn't be opposed but I'd like more information on what possible revenue it could bring to the town before making a decision," said Erin Gannon, a Whitman resident, while out on Washington Street Saturday afternoon. Board of Selectmen Chairman Carl Kowalski said at a meeting held last week that the town has been approached by Massachusetts Medical Marijuana Association Inc. as a possible location for a facility to grow medical marijuana. The proposed facility would grow the marijuana and then sell it to dispensaries elsewhere, said Town Admistrator Frank Lynam. "I have no problem with (a manufacturing plant," said James Krause, 36, who noted that he would be concerned if it was a dispensary. "I don't really mind either way," said Charlene Hill, 65, who says she is "neutral" about medical marijuana issues. Kowalski, Lynam and Finance Committee Chairman Bill Capocci met with officials at the Massachusetts Medical Marijuana Association Inc. recently to discuss if the town would be open to the idea of a manufacturing plant, said Selectman Dan Salvucci. "I have an interest in listening to any proposition for Whitman," said Salvucci. "They wouldn't be selling it here, they would be growing it for distribution. That's a safe operation. The people voted for it, so why would we close our eyes to it?" Under the new law, proposed in a referendum question that passed by a more than 25 percent margin on Election Day in November, doctors will be able to prescribe marijuana to patients suffering debilitating illnesses. A manufacturing facility handles growing, harvesting and packaging medical marijuana and then distributes it to retailers, said Bob Carp, the executive director of the Massachusetts Medical Marijuana Dispensers' Association. Carp, an attorney who handles dispensary applications throughout the country, said the application process is intense. The first step to open a growing plant requires the company to be a nonprofit and prove none of the members have any kind of felony arrest or prosecution along with a $1,500 fee. The second step is a formal application with a $30,000 nonrefundable application fee and proof the company has $500,000 in liquid capital and can provide security, said Carp. "Security is the biggest issue," said Carp. "That means locks, alarms and cameras. You have to show the state that you have the security necessary." Whitman Police Chief Scott Benton said he doesn't see any issues with a manufacturing facility in town. "It's a business, granted it's not a conventional, but it's a business is for people who have a medical need for it," said Benton. "These places have to go somewhere and there are people out there who are suffering and there's a legit need for it." The proposed facility is in very early stages and the meeting was a preliminary discussion, said Salvucci. "I expect there will be public meetings to see how people feel," said Salvucci. Kowalski said during the board's meeting that the company pegged Whitman as a location due to of the town's access to state highways and requirements for an existing 50,000 square-foot facility to lease in order to manufacture the marijuana. Salvucci said he doesn't expect that Whitman will ever have a dispensary, however. "There's only five (dispensaries) allowed in Plymouth County and there will probably be one in Brockton," said Salvucci. "It doesn't seem feasible since we're the next town over." Officials at the MMMA, Inc. could not be reached. - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom