Jacob Redmond
Well-Known Member
Today the Massachusetts Department of Public Health launched the overhaul of the process to apply for registered medical marijuana dispensary licenses, a system that has been highly criticized by the burgeoning industry, lawmakers, and the general public.
The "scoring" system, which has arguably faced the most criticism from the industry, will no longer exist. Instead, applicants will be individually evaluated around whether or not they comply with the public health regulations and state law.
"This change creates a more streamlined, efficient, and transparent process that allows the Commonwealth to maintain the highest standards of both public safety and accessibility," Dr. Monica Bharel, Commissioner of the Department of Public Health, said in a statement.
The stipulation that applicants will be evaluated individually is one of the major changes. This will do away with the previous system where all interested groups submitted their materials by a due date and were "ranked" to receive licenses by a scoring system that has been highly criticized. Applicants will now have individual timelines on which they achieve licenses, instead of waiting for all the interested parties to be evaluated.
Officials outlined the proposed changes in April. Interested groups can begin submitting applications again on June 29, 2015, and their applications will be evaluated as they are received.
On the consumer end, patients previously only had to hold paper certifications from physicians to purchase marijuana. Effective February 1, patients will also be required to register with the Medical Use of Marijuana Program and have an electronic certification on file.
Since the ballot initiative that legalized medical marijuana in November 2012, only two official registration certificates have been issued. Alternative Therapies Group (ATG) in Salem received theirs in December 2014 and New England Treatment Access (NETA) was certified in April 2015 for facilities in Northampton and a cultivation site in Franklin.
Medical marijuana groups that have already achieved their certification will not need to apply again, according to Mass. DPH.
News Moderator: Jacob Redmond 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Mass. launches overhauled medical marijuana dispensary application process - Health - Boston.com
Author: Chelsea Rice
Contact: Help - Boston.com
Photo Credit: AP
Website: Boston, MA news, breaking news, sports, video | Boston.com
The "scoring" system, which has arguably faced the most criticism from the industry, will no longer exist. Instead, applicants will be individually evaluated around whether or not they comply with the public health regulations and state law.
"This change creates a more streamlined, efficient, and transparent process that allows the Commonwealth to maintain the highest standards of both public safety and accessibility," Dr. Monica Bharel, Commissioner of the Department of Public Health, said in a statement.
The stipulation that applicants will be evaluated individually is one of the major changes. This will do away with the previous system where all interested groups submitted their materials by a due date and were "ranked" to receive licenses by a scoring system that has been highly criticized. Applicants will now have individual timelines on which they achieve licenses, instead of waiting for all the interested parties to be evaluated.
Officials outlined the proposed changes in April. Interested groups can begin submitting applications again on June 29, 2015, and their applications will be evaluated as they are received.
On the consumer end, patients previously only had to hold paper certifications from physicians to purchase marijuana. Effective February 1, patients will also be required to register with the Medical Use of Marijuana Program and have an electronic certification on file.
Since the ballot initiative that legalized medical marijuana in November 2012, only two official registration certificates have been issued. Alternative Therapies Group (ATG) in Salem received theirs in December 2014 and New England Treatment Access (NETA) was certified in April 2015 for facilities in Northampton and a cultivation site in Franklin.
Medical marijuana groups that have already achieved their certification will not need to apply again, according to Mass. DPH.
News Moderator: Jacob Redmond 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Mass. launches overhauled medical marijuana dispensary application process - Health - Boston.com
Author: Chelsea Rice
Contact: Help - Boston.com
Photo Credit: AP
Website: Boston, MA news, breaking news, sports, video | Boston.com
