The General
New Member
A Denver company denied licenses to open medical marijuana operations in Worcester and other Massachusetts communities hit another roadblock Thursday when a judge denied Good Chemistry of Massachusetts Inc.'s request for a preliminary injunction against state public health officials. Suffolk Superior Court Judge Thomas B. Billings wrote that Good Chemistry's applications contained errors and ambiguities that public health officials were entitled to consider when judging applications.
"The applicants, the affected, and the citizenry as a whole all have an interest in seeing that (registered marijuana dispensaries) are awarded according to a process that is fair, orderly, compliant with statutory and regulatory standards, and based on applications that are clear, truthful and accurate," Mr. Billings wrote. Good Chemistry, which originally sought licenses to operate in Worcester, Boston and Salem but then indicated it would only seek a Boston license if the injunction were approved, said it was examining all options and continuing to work with state officials. "We are surprised by the decision and genuinely befuddled by the entire application process," the company said in a statement. "It appears," Good Chemistry continued, "that the judge was persuaded that although the alleged offending language was not a misrepresentation, it is still difficult to restrain a state agency."
The state's Department of Public Health said it was "pleased that the court's decision has again validated our comprehensive and thorough process to ensure patient access and public safety across the Commonwealth." The ruling represented the latest twist in the state's contentious process to evaluate and award licenses to groups seeking to launch the first Massachusetts medical marijuana dispensaries.
State voters approved legalization of medical cannabis in 2012. Dispensary applications soon flowed in, but some had problems. Only 11 dispensary licenses were awarded statewide, and no licenses were awarded for Worcester and Boston. Good Chemistry, which sells medical marijuana in Denver, was initially granted provisional licenses in Worcester and Boston, plus an opportunity to seek a license in a county where no dispensaries were sited. But state public health officials later reversed course and gave no full licenses to Good Chemistry, saying the company submitting misleading, incorrect, false or fraudulent information.
In its applications, Good Chemistry indicated it had contacted and met with the sheriff and police chief in Worcester, but it had not. In addition, the company's application for a Boston license described outreach to a majority of state legislators from Boston and the city councilor representing the neighborhood of the proposed dispensary, but that never took place. Good Chemistry argued its wording about meetings with officials in Worcester did not mean what the state read in it, and it said it inadvertently put wording about Worcester in its Boston application.
News Moderator - The General @ 420 MAGAZINE ®
Source: Telegram.com
Author: Lisa Eckelbecker
Website: Worcester Telegram : Local News, Politics & Sports in Worcester, MA
"The applicants, the affected, and the citizenry as a whole all have an interest in seeing that (registered marijuana dispensaries) are awarded according to a process that is fair, orderly, compliant with statutory and regulatory standards, and based on applications that are clear, truthful and accurate," Mr. Billings wrote. Good Chemistry, which originally sought licenses to operate in Worcester, Boston and Salem but then indicated it would only seek a Boston license if the injunction were approved, said it was examining all options and continuing to work with state officials. "We are surprised by the decision and genuinely befuddled by the entire application process," the company said in a statement. "It appears," Good Chemistry continued, "that the judge was persuaded that although the alleged offending language was not a misrepresentation, it is still difficult to restrain a state agency."
The state's Department of Public Health said it was "pleased that the court's decision has again validated our comprehensive and thorough process to ensure patient access and public safety across the Commonwealth." The ruling represented the latest twist in the state's contentious process to evaluate and award licenses to groups seeking to launch the first Massachusetts medical marijuana dispensaries.
State voters approved legalization of medical cannabis in 2012. Dispensary applications soon flowed in, but some had problems. Only 11 dispensary licenses were awarded statewide, and no licenses were awarded for Worcester and Boston. Good Chemistry, which sells medical marijuana in Denver, was initially granted provisional licenses in Worcester and Boston, plus an opportunity to seek a license in a county where no dispensaries were sited. But state public health officials later reversed course and gave no full licenses to Good Chemistry, saying the company submitting misleading, incorrect, false or fraudulent information.
In its applications, Good Chemistry indicated it had contacted and met with the sheriff and police chief in Worcester, but it had not. In addition, the company's application for a Boston license described outreach to a majority of state legislators from Boston and the city councilor representing the neighborhood of the proposed dispensary, but that never took place. Good Chemistry argued its wording about meetings with officials in Worcester did not mean what the state read in it, and it said it inadvertently put wording about Worcester in its Boston application.
News Moderator - The General @ 420 MAGAZINE ®
Source: Telegram.com
Author: Lisa Eckelbecker
Website: Worcester Telegram : Local News, Politics & Sports in Worcester, MA
