Pubdate: Thu, 17 Jun 2010
Source: Portland Press Herald (ME)
Copyright: 2010 Blethen Maine Newspapers Inc.
Contact:  http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/744
Author: John Richardson
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal)

PORTLAND COUNCILOR OPPOSES MEDICAL MARIJUANA DELAY

A Portland City Councilor hopes to derail a proposed  six-month 
moratorium on medical marijuana dispensaries  in the city.

David Marshall plans to introduce a council order at  Monday's 
meeting to allow state-licensed dispensaries  in the downtown 
business zones. He is scheduled to  formally announce the proposal at 
a news conference at  City hall this morning.

The council's already scheduled to hold a public  hearing Monday on a 
six-month ban that would allow  planning officials to create siting 
and operating  rules. The proposal is facing strong opposition 
because it could delay the opening of the state's largest  dispensary.

The Maine Department of Health and Human Services is  expected to 
grant the state's first-ever licenses to  eight medical marijuana 
dispensaries on July 9. The  dispensaries would be spread out in 
eight regions  around the state, and the Cumberland County site 
is  widely expected to be somewhere in Portland because of  the 
population size and public transportation network.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom