Green Light to Green Life

Massachusetts health officials seem to have opened their eyes to a future of peace and harmony as Boston is about to open doors of the first formal marijuana dispensary in the state. Although a rarity at the moment, it doesn’t seem to be staying that way too long as approval has been granted for another 11 dispensaries to open throughout the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Massachusetts health officials seem to have opened their eyes to a future of peace and harmony as Boston is about to open doors of the first formal marijuana dispensary in the state. Although a rarity at the moment, it doesn’t seem to be staying that way too long as approval has been granted for another 11 dispensaries to open throughout the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

A spokesperson for Patriot Care Corp. revealed that the firm currently does not seem to be having an exact date for the dispensary opening in Boston, going on to say that the company is in the process of negotiating with Boston city councilors as well as neighborhood groups in regards to the new dispensary.

Patriot Care Corp.

After a tough run of over 100 competing companies, provisional approval was granted by the state’s Department of Public Health to three top competitors in the business. Approval to enter the inspection and permitting phase was given to Coastal Compassion Inc. at 2nd Pequod Road in Fairhaven, Mass Medicum Corp. at Revolutionary Drive in Taunton and Patriot Care Corp. at 21st Milk Street in Boston and 7th Legion Avenue in Greenfield.

Patriot Care Corp. seems to be hedging forward in the competition already, being the only firm operating three dispensaries in the state, attracting eyes of many critics who carry the belief that the company is receiving special treatment by the state health department. In an aim to avoid more criticism, Massachusetts officials let out that another company will receive permission to establish dispensaries in locations such as Brookline and Northampton.

A spokesperson for Patriot Care Corp. revealed that the firm currently does not seem to be having an exact date for the dispensary opening in Boston, going on to say that the company is in the process of negotiating with Boston city councilors as well as neighborhood groups in regards to the new dispensary.

The chief executive of Massachusetts’ medical marijuana program, Karen van Unen, seems to be very happy with the way things are going, stating, “I am pleased with the steady progress we are making and expect the first dispensaries to open later this winter. By expanding access into these additional counties, we are promoting our goals of patient access and public safety across the Commonwealth of Massachusetts”.

Although the state has approved the operation of medical marijuana clinics, Massachusetts itself boasts of no dispensaries opening up at the current time and awaits judgment of the state alongside Hampden, Nantucket, Berkshire, and Dukes.

This archive content was originally published November 8, 2014 (www.betawired.com)