Wellesley’s Board of Selectmen isn’t interested in backing a medical marijuana dispensary in town, citing uncertainty about the need for it should applications be approved in surrounding towns and the looming vote on pot legalization.
“I’m not against a dispensary in principle. None of us is against a dispensary in principle,” said Chairman Marjorie Freiman. “We just don’t think it’s the right time.”
The board made its statement during a discussion on a preliminary application for a medical marijuana dispensary on Overbrook Drive near Route 9 which, if the selectmen had either endorsed or agreed not to oppose, would have allowed the applicant to take their effort to the state for early-phase approval.
With active applications already in process in Framingham, Weston, Newton and Needham, though, Wellesley’s selectmen said they’d rather take a wait-and-see approach.
“I don’t particularly think that we should be at the forefront of this at this point,” said Selectman Barbara Searle.
Towns can evaluate dispensary applications based on a variety of factors, including local and regional need. If any – or all – of the applications in neighboring and nearby communities are approved, the board said, it doesn’t seem prudent to locate a dispensary in Wellesley.
“If all of these registered marijuana dispensaries around us open, it doesn’t sound like there’s a demonstrable need,” said Selectman David L. Murphy. “I think it’s a legitimate way of treating many pain situations that many people have, so from that standpoint – if there were no other dispensaries around – it would be a lot clearer to me that we should be considering this.”
The upcoming statewide vote on legalizing marijuana for recreational use was also reason to wait, the board unanimously agreed.
Massachusetts voters approved marijuana for medical purposes during the 2012 election and, while slow to open, dispensaries have begun to operate in the state. The closest one to Wellesley is in Brookline.
Wellesley was one of several towns to enact a temporary moratorium on medical dispensaries in 2013 that’s since expired.
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Full Article: Wellesley Wants To Wait And See On Pot
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