Truth Seeker
New Member
At least eight medical marijuana business owners and three pot advocacy groups have hired some Bay State lobbyists to forge connections on Beacon Hill as the infant weed industry starts to take root.
Dan Delaney, former strategic director for the Massachusetts Department of Public Health – the agency that oversees medical marijuana – is on the payroll for four pro-pot groups, including Berkshire Medicinal, Middlesex Integrative Medicine, The Greeneway and The TIMA Trust.
"I'm not doing any lobbying on the Department of Public Health side but trying to help people interpret what the regulations mean," said Delaney, who has also worked for medical marijuana businesses 840 Group and New England Kind Clinic.
Delaney said he is paid to monitor proposed pot laws at the State House, including pending legislation that would restrict the sale of sweets and candies made with medical marijuana – a proposal he said his clients didn't take a formal position on.
Medical pot advocate John Greene – owner of The Greeneway – said he's just trying to give some simple relief to people in pain.
"I don't want to see someone else close to me go through what my father went through," said Greene, who hired Delaney to look out for his interests on Beacon Hill.
This spring, the state public health department issued rules for the industry. Now, staff is deciding how much to charge prospective medicinal marijuana retailers to apply for a sale permit.
Other pot-lobbying connections include MJ Freeway, maker of marijuana-tracking computer software, and Budding Real Estate, a real estate holding firm, who are working with Smith Ruddock & Hayes of Boston.
Jim Smith, a partner at the firm, said lobbyists attend all DPH public meetings and file testimony on behalf of the companies.
MedBox, maker of medical marijuana vending machines, has McDermott Emery & Will on its payroll, while Beacon Strategies and Donoghue Barrett & Singal are lobbying for the Massachusetts Medical Marijuana Association.
"It was very basic stuff," Roger Donoghue said of work he did for the trade group. "We monitored the proceedings at DPH, and prepared and filed testimony on behalf of our clients."
A spokesman for McDermott Emery & Will said MedBox hired the firm to monitor DPH as it drafts medical marijuana regulations.
The Marijuana Policy Project, which wants to decriminalize marijuana, has its own lobbyist, Matthew Wayne Simon.
News Hawk- Truth Seeker 420 MAGAZINE ®
Source: bostonherald.com
Author: Christine McConville
Contact: Contact Us | Boston Herald
Website: Boston lobbyists lead pot efforts | Boston Herald
Dan Delaney, former strategic director for the Massachusetts Department of Public Health – the agency that oversees medical marijuana – is on the payroll for four pro-pot groups, including Berkshire Medicinal, Middlesex Integrative Medicine, The Greeneway and The TIMA Trust.
"I'm not doing any lobbying on the Department of Public Health side but trying to help people interpret what the regulations mean," said Delaney, who has also worked for medical marijuana businesses 840 Group and New England Kind Clinic.
Delaney said he is paid to monitor proposed pot laws at the State House, including pending legislation that would restrict the sale of sweets and candies made with medical marijuana – a proposal he said his clients didn't take a formal position on.
Medical pot advocate John Greene – owner of The Greeneway – said he's just trying to give some simple relief to people in pain.
"I don't want to see someone else close to me go through what my father went through," said Greene, who hired Delaney to look out for his interests on Beacon Hill.
This spring, the state public health department issued rules for the industry. Now, staff is deciding how much to charge prospective medicinal marijuana retailers to apply for a sale permit.
Other pot-lobbying connections include MJ Freeway, maker of marijuana-tracking computer software, and Budding Real Estate, a real estate holding firm, who are working with Smith Ruddock & Hayes of Boston.
Jim Smith, a partner at the firm, said lobbyists attend all DPH public meetings and file testimony on behalf of the companies.
MedBox, maker of medical marijuana vending machines, has McDermott Emery & Will on its payroll, while Beacon Strategies and Donoghue Barrett & Singal are lobbying for the Massachusetts Medical Marijuana Association.
"It was very basic stuff," Roger Donoghue said of work he did for the trade group. "We monitored the proceedings at DPH, and prepared and filed testimony on behalf of our clients."
A spokesman for McDermott Emery & Will said MedBox hired the firm to monitor DPH as it drafts medical marijuana regulations.
The Marijuana Policy Project, which wants to decriminalize marijuana, has its own lobbyist, Matthew Wayne Simon.
News Hawk- Truth Seeker 420 MAGAZINE ®
Source: bostonherald.com
Author: Christine McConville
Contact: Contact Us | Boston Herald
Website: Boston lobbyists lead pot efforts | Boston Herald
