Hingham Approves Medical Marijuana Moratorium

Hingham voters approved a temporary medical marijuana moratorium at Tuesday's Town Meeting that will last until June 2014.

Hingham Community Planning Director Mary Savage-Dunham said the temporary moratorium was proposed because  there are still many uncertainties since the Department of Public Health's regulations have not being drafted yet.

“This allows the town and officials to evaluate the Department of Public Health’s regulations when they come out, and then determine if the town needs to have any supplemental regulations to help guide the  location or potential locations of these uses,” Savage-Dunham told Patch last month. 

In March, the state attorney general’s office said towns could not ban medical marijuana dispensaries, ruling that towns can regulate, but not prohibit the centers under state law, according to Boston.com.

Such bans would frustrate the purpose of the medical marijuana law, passed by referendum in November.