Medical Marijuana: Will Arlington Welcome a Dispensary?

ARLINGTON, MA—Since the inception of the legal sale of medical marijuana in Massachusetts, municipalities across the Commonwealth have had to set a framework for the arrival of medical marijuana facilities.

Arlington is no different. Arlington’s Director of Health and Human Services Christine Bongiorno announced Monday that the board will hold a public hearing discussing regulation of the sale and cultivation of medical marijuana.

The meeting is set for Wednesday, Feb. 3, in the first floor conference room of the Senior Center on 27 Maple Street.

“As Massachusetts health officials move forward with the process of establishing guidelines for medical marijuana dispensaries in the state, we want to have regulations in place for our town to ensure proper use and safety for our residents,” Bongiorno said in the announcement. “We ask that anyone who is interested in obtaining a permit, or who wishes to find out more about this regulation, attend the meeting.”

Officials plan to discuss proposed regulations entitled Regulation of the Arlington Board of Health Restricting the Sale of Marijuana. The public will have the opportunity to provide written and oral testimony.

According to the announcement:

The regulation sets forth the requirements for obtaining a Permit to Operate a Registered Marijuana Dispensary (RMD) and a Dispensary Agent Permit, which is issued to eligible employees of an RMD. The permit to operate will place certain conditions on an RMD and allows for local inspection and oversight. The regulation also proposes that RMDs hold an annual community meeting to give abutters and community members an opportunity to comment on its practices.

The draft regulations can be found here.