Pubdate: Sun, 09 Nov 2014 Source: Boston Herald (MA) Copyright: 2014 The Boston Herald, Inc Contact: http://news.bostonherald.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/53 Note: Prints only very short LTEs. Author: Lindsay Kalter Page: 6 WALSH WANTS TOUGH POT REGS Mayor Martin J. Walsh, who has long opposed marijuana dispensaries, told the Herald yesterday that he's hopeful there will be "tight regulations" on a pot shop that now is one step closer to opening in Boston's Financial District. "I mean, it's the law. We're going to live with the law," Walsh said. "I didn't support it in the beginning; I just thought it was too open-ended. But in saying that, it's the law today, and everything can be worked out." He added, "As long as there's good tight regulation here - and I think the state has put some good tight regulations on it, as well as the Boston Public Health Commission - things will be OK." The state Department of Public Health on Friday gave New York-based medical marijuana chain Patriot Care Corp. the green light to move to the final stage before a certificate of registration is granted. Walsh has previously encouraged the state to restart the approval process in light of reports that some of the companies applying for permits did not provide accurate information. Patriot Care came under fire in September following allegations that it claimed in its application to be treating HIV patients, which it had not started as of the time its application was completed. Walsh told the Herald that he worries about the risk of marijuana acting as a "gateway drug," but understands its medicinal potential. "I just get concerned about the way that the marijuana discussions have gone, from, you know decriminalization, and under the pretense that people were going to jail for it which is not true, to now medical marijuana," he said. But, he said, "I'm a cancer survivor myself, so I know that in the cases of cancer and other serious illnesses and terminal illness, it helps patients, but I just want to make sure there's parameters around it." Patriot Care plans to run the shop out of a former Liberty Bank and Trust branch building at 21 Milk St., where it will sell medicinal cannabis seven days a week. The shop could open as early as the spring. Walsh said there is still "a bit of a process" to go through, which will include getting community approval. The company still needs to obtain city permits, which includes approval of its security plan, and a zoning variance, said Nick Martin of the Boston Redevelopment Authority. - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom