Ron Strider
Well-Known Member
The Sandwich Board of Selectmen said "no" Thursday night, July 27, to a medical marijuana dispensary that was seeking to open a business in a Sandwich medical office park off Route 130.
The 3-2 vote came after an hour-long public hearing during which members of the public asked pointed questions of David Noble, president of In Good Health, a successful medical marijuana company that currently operates a dispensary in Brockton.
Residents expressed concerns about security, traffic, and, primarily, the possibility that the dispensary would contribute to the increasing problem of drug addiction on Cape Cod.
"I feel that approving such action here tonight is a folly of great proportion as we will have no way to stop further erosion of the drug epidemic in our community," said Carl Johansen.
"Young and old will be impacted if we approve this facility."
Linell M. Grundman, former chairman of the substance abuse prevention committee, said the community would be hurt by the dispensary.
"Though there may be some financial return to the town, I believe the social costs far outweigh the revenue stream," Ms. Grundman said. "I believe such a facility would cost taxpayers money through the negative outcomes it would generate."
The selectmen questioned Mr. Noble about how often prescriptions could be filled, the average age of the customers, security measures, and whether the dispensary would call the police if a customer appeared to be too impaired to drive.
Three selectmen–David Sampson, Susan James and Robert George–toured the Brockton facility on Tuesday, July 25, and two of them said they were impressed enough to vote in favor of allowing In Good Health to open shop in Sandwich.
Ms. James, a nurse who is adamantly opposed to recreational marijuana, said she had researched medical marijuana efficacy and had become convinced that is does help chronically ill patients cope with pain when used in conjunction with other medicines.
Ms. James voted to support the dispensary.
Mr. Sampson, who also voted to support In Good Health, said the Brockton shop was "professional, clean, had good security and low-volume traffic." The clients were mostly middle aged and older, he added.
"I've never smoked marijuana, but if I had a medical condition, this is the type of place I'd want to go to," Mr. Sampson said.
But Selectmen Michael Miller and Mr. George said they were concerned about opening such a business in Sandwich. Both said the residents of Sandwich are not supportive of any type of marijuana business.
Mr. Miller, a former police chief, said his many years of seeing the effects of addiction and the hazards of impaired drivers made him leery of supporting the dispensary.
Mr. Sampson suggested the vote be postponed until other selectmen and members of the substance abuse prevention committee had visited the Brockton dispensary.
Selectman Peter Beauchemin, however, called for a vote.
Mr. Noble said at a meeting earlier this month that he wanted to open a Sandwich dispensary to serve the company's 800 patients, and others on Cape Cod.
Company principals met for an informal talk with a town siting review committee in June, giving them an overview of the Brockton facility. Subsequently, Police Chief Peter Wack visited the Brockton site.
"I was impressed with their security plans. They were very well thought out," Chief Wack told the selectmen at the earlier meeting. "Everything is tracked, monitored and managed very well."
The company was seeking a letter of support from the selectmen to open the Sandwich dispensary at 449 Route 130, which is located in a special overlay district for medical offices. No pot would have been grown in Sandwich, Mr. Noble said.
During the public hearing Mr. Johansen said he believed a public official owns units in the building in which the dispensary wanted to open and that it was a conflict of interest. Although he did not name the official, he was referring to Town Moderator Garry Blank, who owns several of the condo units in the building, according to public records.
Mr. Blank, who waited until the end of the meeting to speak, defended himself against Mr. Johansen's implication that he used his influence to try and sway the selectmen's votes.
Mr. Blank said he was a taxpayer and a voter who owns some units in the building, but would not use his position as moderator to persuade the selectmen.
He did say, however, that he was very disappointed by the vote against the dispensary.
"I want you to reconsider your uneducated, ill-conceived vote," he said. "You are perpetuating the use of killer opioids."
The company is offering to pay Sandwich 2.5 to 3 percent of its annual gross revenue. Mr. Noble said the company has paid some $275,000 to Brockton since it opened the business there in 2015.
Sandwich has already been approached by two medical marijuana businesses, but at the time residents had not yet voted on whether they wanted to allow retail recreational marijuana shops in Sandwich.
At Town Meeting in May, residents voted against allowing any retail recreational marijuana businesses in town.
The selectmen told the previous medical marijuana principals that they were worried that once the medical marijuana business opened up they could switch to selling recreational marijuana.
Mr. Noble told the selectmen earlier this month that he had no interest in selling recreational marijuana.
"It's a totally different model," said Mr. Noble, whose background is in nursing homes.
Asked after the July 27 meeting if he would come back to Sandwich, Mr. Noble simply said, "No."
Town Planner Blair Haney has said only one dispensary will be allowed to set up shop in Sandwich, as per the town's marijuana bylaws. New bylaws were passed this year in anticipation of the state law passed as a ballot question during the November presidential election that legalizes the recreational use of marijuana. Medical marijuana use was legalized four years ago.
News Moderator: Ron Strider 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Sandwich Selectmen Shoot Down Medical Marijuana Proposal | Sandwich News | capenews.net
Author: Tao Woolfe
Contact: Contact Us | Site | capenews.net
Photo Credit: Getty
Website: capenews.net | powered by The Enterprise
The 3-2 vote came after an hour-long public hearing during which members of the public asked pointed questions of David Noble, president of In Good Health, a successful medical marijuana company that currently operates a dispensary in Brockton.
Residents expressed concerns about security, traffic, and, primarily, the possibility that the dispensary would contribute to the increasing problem of drug addiction on Cape Cod.
"I feel that approving such action here tonight is a folly of great proportion as we will have no way to stop further erosion of the drug epidemic in our community," said Carl Johansen.
"Young and old will be impacted if we approve this facility."
Linell M. Grundman, former chairman of the substance abuse prevention committee, said the community would be hurt by the dispensary.
"Though there may be some financial return to the town, I believe the social costs far outweigh the revenue stream," Ms. Grundman said. "I believe such a facility would cost taxpayers money through the negative outcomes it would generate."
The selectmen questioned Mr. Noble about how often prescriptions could be filled, the average age of the customers, security measures, and whether the dispensary would call the police if a customer appeared to be too impaired to drive.
Three selectmen–David Sampson, Susan James and Robert George–toured the Brockton facility on Tuesday, July 25, and two of them said they were impressed enough to vote in favor of allowing In Good Health to open shop in Sandwich.
Ms. James, a nurse who is adamantly opposed to recreational marijuana, said she had researched medical marijuana efficacy and had become convinced that is does help chronically ill patients cope with pain when used in conjunction with other medicines.
Ms. James voted to support the dispensary.
Mr. Sampson, who also voted to support In Good Health, said the Brockton shop was "professional, clean, had good security and low-volume traffic." The clients were mostly middle aged and older, he added.
"I've never smoked marijuana, but if I had a medical condition, this is the type of place I'd want to go to," Mr. Sampson said.
But Selectmen Michael Miller and Mr. George said they were concerned about opening such a business in Sandwich. Both said the residents of Sandwich are not supportive of any type of marijuana business.
Mr. Miller, a former police chief, said his many years of seeing the effects of addiction and the hazards of impaired drivers made him leery of supporting the dispensary.
Mr. Sampson suggested the vote be postponed until other selectmen and members of the substance abuse prevention committee had visited the Brockton dispensary.
Selectman Peter Beauchemin, however, called for a vote.
Mr. Noble said at a meeting earlier this month that he wanted to open a Sandwich dispensary to serve the company's 800 patients, and others on Cape Cod.
Company principals met for an informal talk with a town siting review committee in June, giving them an overview of the Brockton facility. Subsequently, Police Chief Peter Wack visited the Brockton site.
"I was impressed with their security plans. They were very well thought out," Chief Wack told the selectmen at the earlier meeting. "Everything is tracked, monitored and managed very well."
The company was seeking a letter of support from the selectmen to open the Sandwich dispensary at 449 Route 130, which is located in a special overlay district for medical offices. No pot would have been grown in Sandwich, Mr. Noble said.
During the public hearing Mr. Johansen said he believed a public official owns units in the building in which the dispensary wanted to open and that it was a conflict of interest. Although he did not name the official, he was referring to Town Moderator Garry Blank, who owns several of the condo units in the building, according to public records.
Mr. Blank, who waited until the end of the meeting to speak, defended himself against Mr. Johansen's implication that he used his influence to try and sway the selectmen's votes.
Mr. Blank said he was a taxpayer and a voter who owns some units in the building, but would not use his position as moderator to persuade the selectmen.
He did say, however, that he was very disappointed by the vote against the dispensary.
"I want you to reconsider your uneducated, ill-conceived vote," he said. "You are perpetuating the use of killer opioids."
The company is offering to pay Sandwich 2.5 to 3 percent of its annual gross revenue. Mr. Noble said the company has paid some $275,000 to Brockton since it opened the business there in 2015.
Sandwich has already been approached by two medical marijuana businesses, but at the time residents had not yet voted on whether they wanted to allow retail recreational marijuana shops in Sandwich.
At Town Meeting in May, residents voted against allowing any retail recreational marijuana businesses in town.
The selectmen told the previous medical marijuana principals that they were worried that once the medical marijuana business opened up they could switch to selling recreational marijuana.
Mr. Noble told the selectmen earlier this month that he had no interest in selling recreational marijuana.
"It's a totally different model," said Mr. Noble, whose background is in nursing homes.
Asked after the July 27 meeting if he would come back to Sandwich, Mr. Noble simply said, "No."
Town Planner Blair Haney has said only one dispensary will be allowed to set up shop in Sandwich, as per the town's marijuana bylaws. New bylaws were passed this year in anticipation of the state law passed as a ballot question during the November presidential election that legalizes the recreational use of marijuana. Medical marijuana use was legalized four years ago.
News Moderator: Ron Strider 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Sandwich Selectmen Shoot Down Medical Marijuana Proposal | Sandwich News | capenews.net
Author: Tao Woolfe
Contact: Contact Us | Site | capenews.net
Photo Credit: Getty
Website: capenews.net | powered by The Enterprise
