Pubdate: Mon, 15 Jul 2013
Source: Worcester Telegram & Gazette (MA)
Copyright: 2013 Worcester Telegram & Gazette
Contact:  http://www.telegram.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/509
Author: Donna Boynton

SHREWSBURY MAN PROPOSES MARIJUANA DISPENSARY IN GRAFTON

GRAFTON - A Shrewsbury man is proposing to build a 30,000-square-foot
medical marijuana dispensary, one of the first proposed in the state.

John Glowik has met with town officials to inform them of his proposal
at the business park located on the Grafton-Shrewsbury town line, Town
Administrator Tim McInerney said.

The state Department of Public Health has not yet begun accepting
applications, which was expected to begin this summer. The DPH issued
its medical marijuana regulations in May, and draft fees were
discussed in June.

The state could license the first medical marijuana dispensaries by
the end of the year.

While Mr. Glowik has discussed his proposal with the Board of Health
and the town's Development Team, the local discussions are very
preliminary as Mr. Glowik navigates through the state licensing
process, Mr. McInerney said.

Mr. Glowik could not be reached for comment yesterday.

Mr. McInerney said Mr. Glowik, who told the town he has been a
dialysis patient for 20 years, is proposing a 30,000-square-foot
medical marijuana dispensary that would employ 35 people.

"This is not a mom 'n pop business," Mr. McInerney said, indicating
Mr. Glowik will have to put up a $500,000 cash bond to apply. "It's a
real pharmaceutical industry. Locally, if we were to have it, that is
certainly the environment for it, but we are still a long way away."

The Worcester Business Development Corp. acquired that land known as
CenTech Park -- a 121- acre technology park -- from the state in 1994.
Over the years, the WBDC, working with Grafton, Shrewsbury and Tufts
University's Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, has brought
infrastructure to the site as well as the permitting work for 675,000
square feet of development.

Among the tenants at CenTech Park are State Street Bank, IDEXX,
Primary Colors and Verrillon.

"We are not at a point where we are taking any formal action," Mr.
McInerney added.

Voters approved a ballot question in November allowing residents with
certain medical conditions to obtain and use marijuana for medicinal
purposes. The state Department of Public Health oversees the
implementation of the new law, as well as the dispensing of the
medical marijuana. Guidelines for medical marijuana were issued
earlier this year.

The law calls for at least one, but no more than five, dispensaries
per county.

There are several fees to be paid by registered marijuana
dispensaries. According to the DPH, there is a $500 annual dispensary
agent registration fee; a $1,500 Phase 1 application fee; a $30,000
Phase 2 application fee; a $50,000 annual registration fee; and an
architectural review fee of $8.25 per $1,000 of construction costs.
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