TELL US: Should Chelmsford Allow Marijuana Dispensaries, And If So, Where?
The subject was a matter of discussion at last week's Planning Board meeting, today we want to ask for your opinion.
Last fall, voters across the Commonwealth approved legalizing medical marijuana dispensaries, but rules regulating those dispenaries are not yet in place, leaving a question asked by the Planning Board last week: is it worth having them here?
Drawing upon a recent article in the Boston Globe about efforts in Scituate, the Board discussed potentially bringing a warrant article to Town Meeting setting local guidelines for dispensaries, or even the prohibition of them, before possible regulations might be forced upon the town from Beacon Hill.
It remains unclear if local regulations set in place prior to state regulations would pass muster with the Attorney General's office, and debate also ensued over where dispensaries would be allowed in town if Chelmsford was required to allow them, with opinions ranging from limiting them to Limited Industrial zoned districts (see attached map) to less restrictive zoning regulations.
So today, we want to ask you for your take on this issue. We'll keep you up to date with further information locally and throughout the state on this topic as it develops.
Cee Virtue
6:59 am on Friday, January 18, 2013
It's always important to provide citations for "it has been proven" or "studies show."
Cee Virtue
12:43 pm on Friday, January 18, 2013
I see that the person I commented to has deleted their post, hence the peculiar thread appearance here.
nuthin' to hide
9:55 am on Friday, January 18, 2013
The dispensary should be at the Police Station.
Maggie Desmond
12:53 pm on Friday, February 1, 2013
You know you live in a bad neighborhood when...
Have you have been to San Francisco? Believe me, it's not pretty! If you love your community, you don't want a pot shop in your neighborhood.
Muriel McGrann
1:29 pm on Friday, January 18, 2013
agree but with limited day lite hours and a fee to cover operating costs
LT Towne
2:03 pm on Friday, January 18, 2013
"In what should not come as a surprise, given
the robust security at most medical marijuana facilities, these studies have routinely
shown that, contrary to popular opinion, dispensaries are not magnets for crime."
www.mpp.org/assets/pdfs/library/CrimeDispensaries.pdf
I know the thought of having a "drug dealer" open up down the block seems terrifying, but when looked at objectively it's no different than any other business opening up in town. Because of it's nature and the publicity sure to surround it wouldn't common sense dictate that unsavory types would choose to avoid it?
I think rather than irrationally fearing what may happen and being left behind, we act progressively and embrace what is clearly an emerging new industry. It would certainly be nice to claim I'm from a community which chooses to compassionately help patients in need by making their lives a bit easier.
Muriel McGrann
3:57 pm on Friday, January 18, 2013
'"Its no different than any other business opening up in town"Another Liberal who burries its head in the turf. Druggies will commit a crime by beaking and entering a home for money to buy drugs. No other business offers an illegal drug for sale that can be used or traded for another one . The intention for the usage is well intended but it has drawbacks...the Police station will have no problems for the legal purchase of this drug but it would be somewhat of a deterent for the illegal user and also be a guide for police to know the legal users and respect their rights.It is not irrational to be cautious and take precuations. Question....What does the Police Chief have to say on this issue????Will you ask him Andrew?????
LT Towne
4:48 pm on Friday, January 18, 2013
Um, excuse me Muriel, but the presumption that "Druggies will commit a crime by beaking and entering a home for money to buy drugs." is not only completely false, but insulting.
As a daily Marijuana user forced to illegally purchase my medication in order to relieve severe nerve pain from a significant injury, I can assure you that I do not steal to fund my purchases, but actually work very hard as a white collar professional. I'm a (fairly recent) graduate of our town's school system (which is probably why my posts are so much more coherent than yours) as well as a taxpaying home owner, and I'm not even 30.
This town is FILLED with us. You have interacted with people under the influence of Marijuana before and you didn't even know it. We are not demons, we are not pariahs, we are normal citizens just like you. I am taking a stand here because I truly feel the archaic attitude commonly held is completely wrong and not based in reality.
Have you ever experienced the effects of Marijuana? If you can't answer yes to this question then you can't honestly say you know what you are talking about.
I'm not delusional, I don't think that there are not precautions which need to be taken, nor thought and care put into decisions, but simply because something is difficult doesn't mean it's not worthwhile or right.
LT Towne
4:55 pm on Friday, January 18, 2013
Also, if you are going to quote me, please do so verbatim because I at least know how to use a possessive apostrophe.
Jim Stratton
7:37 pm on Friday, January 18, 2013
Where's the most recent "what should go in the old Stop 'N' Shop" thread?
John Gault
9:48 am on Saturday, January 19, 2013
I thought about the Stop and Shop, but I once bought pot 20 years ago not a Steve Grogan football throw from there, so I quickly put it out of my mind.
How about on the field next to 9 North?