Pubdate: Wed, 26 Feb 2014
Source: Boston Herald (MA)
Copyright: 2014 The Boston Herald, Inc
Contact:  http://news.bostonherald.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/53
Author: John Zaremba
Page: 9

COUNCIL HOPES TO CLEAR THE AIR ON POT OUTLETS

Boston's two proposed medical marijuana dispensaries - both of which
have rankled city councilors over their location or claims of support
- - will be the subject of a City Council hearing next week.

City Council President Bill Linehan and District 3 Councilor Frank
Baker announced the March 4 hearing yesterday, billing it as "an
opportunity to hear questions, concerns and recommendations from city
agencies, neighborhood stakeholders and the proponents
themselves."

"I just think it's important, anytime a new business model shows up
near a residential or a business location, that people have an
opportunity to come in and voice their opinion on it," Linehan said.
"Because this is a state-regulated activity, there were no
opportunities for the city government to get involved, until this point."

Representatives from Green Heart Holistic Health & Pharmaceuticals,
which plans a dispensary at 70 Southampton St. in Roxbury, and Good
Chemistry of Massachusetts, which plans a pot shop at 364 Boylston St.
in Back Bay, could not be reached last night to say whether they'll
attend.

Green Heart claimed to have the support of District 7 City Councilor
Tito Jackson, but Jackson said he opposes the location and never
endorsed the dispensary.

Good Chemistry of Massachusetts' application for a pot license
included a letter of neutrality from then-City Council President
Stephen J. Murphy, but Murphy said he signed that letter before the
company announced its plan to locate on Boylston Street.

Linehan said he'd prefer alternate locations for both dispensaries,
citing the methadone clinics near the Roxbury site and saying there's
a better place than bustling Boylston for a pot pharmacy.

"There's locations in and around the medical industry ... complexes,
medical institutions," Linehan said.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Matt