On Thursday afternoon, medicinal marijuana patients, along with their families and medical personnel, will take to the State House to host a rally advocating for Beacon Hill to expedite the medical marijuana licensing process in Massachusetts. Taking place at the Grand Staircase overlooking the Boston Common at 2:00 p.m., the rally will feature patients suffering from cancer, MS, ALS, seizure disorders and severe chronic pain who will explain why medical marijuana is necessary for their daily lives.
The Massachusetts legislature doled out 35 medical marijuana dispensary licenses earlier this year and doors are slated to open at the end of this summer pending safety and regulatory reviews by the Department of Public Health. For those rallying, the process thus far has been painstakingly slow. Following the event Thursday afternoon, participants will be delivering a letter to Governor Patrick outlining their concerns.
Two dispensaries were awarded licensure here in Boston, though a City Council meeting intended to highlight the pros and cons of them setting up shop within city limits left much to be desired. The process is currently in limbo as everyone is waiting for the state to take action and move ahead.
Part of the City Council’s agenda was to determine the community impact dispensaries would have both on the youth and those most susceptible to substance abuse.
A new study, though, published in the Journal of Adolescent Health found that there were no statistically significant differences in marijuana use before and after legalized medicinal use.
Using data from a Youth Risk Behavioral Surveillance Survey of 1,703,100 students high school students between 1991 and 2011, researchers at Rhode Island Hospital and Brown University cross-referenced them with the states where medical marijuana has been made legal. As it turns out, they realized there is no direct correlation between medical marijuana and increased use, and that opponents’ concerns that allowing for the treatment sends the wrong message is hyperbolized.
“[Our research] may provide some reassurance to policy makers who wish to balance compassion for individuals who have been unable to find relief from conventional medical therapies with the safety and well-being of youth,” wrote researchers.
One of the medical marijuana dispensaries awarded a Boston-based license, Green Heart Holistic Health & Pharmaceuticals, preemptively launched its website despite not receiving the green light on opening up at its location at 70 Southampton Street in Roxbury.
Boston Mayor Marty Walsh has abundantly expressed his distaste for dispensaries. A recent Boston Globe article notes “The mayor said he is ‘dead set’ against marijuana dispensaries, has long opposed medical marijuana laws, and would prevent stores in Boston that sell cannabis.”
Back in October, while campaigning for City Hall, Mayor Walsh told BostInno:
I support the law that establishes medical marijuana dispensaries, but the qualifications to receive the drug must be strict. There must be a system in place to allow residents to report any illegal or unsavory activity they may witness at these places, as well as a strict process for those in charge of the dispensaries to grow and distribute their product to only those who have a doctor’s prescription.
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