Pubdate: Tue, 27 Aug 2013
Source: Boston Herald (MA)
Copyright: 2013 The Boston Herald, Inc
Contact:  http://news.bostonherald.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/53
Author: Christine McConville
Page: 8

HEALTH COMMISSION SEEKS EXTRA RULES FOR HUB POT DISPENSARIES

Selling medical marijuana in the Hub may mean more permits, more
inspections and pot deliveries to your door.

The Boston Public Health Commission is pushing for more power to
oversee the pot law just now rolling out.

"It's an added layer of security," Boston Public Health Commission
Executive Director Dr. Barbara Ferrer said about the commission's
desire to add extra rules to the state-regulated industry. "In a city
of this size, the local authorities want to be sure they can inspect
the dispensaries too, because the state inspectors have to cover the
entire state."

The commission also wants Boston dispensaries to provide in-home
delivery to patients who are simply too sick to travel.

"We are a fairly large geographic area," Ferrer said.

The Boston Board of Health will be asked to consider additional, city
specific stipulations when board members meet next month, Ferrer said.

Medicinal pot could be on sale in Massachusetts by early 2014, state
officials say.

In November 2012, Bay State voters voted to allow qualified sick
people to lawfully consume the federally banned substance.

The state's public health officials crafted the new industry's rules
this spring. Now, they're vetting 181 applications from potential
dispensary owners.

Ferrer said Boston wants the added measures "to make certain that
dispensaries are appropriately managed and adhere to local and state
regulations."

Boston has already banned dispensaries from residential areas, and
state regulations prohibit them from being too close to schools, day
care centers and playgrounds.

The Boston-specific proposal would require plenty of signs in and
around the dispensaries, Ferrer said, so patients and neighbors will
know who to call with complaints.
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MAP posted-by: Matt