Medical Marijuana Facility Proposed in Woburn

The Woburn City Council’s Liaison Committee heard another pitch from a firm proposing to open a medical marijuana facility.

The council has not approved a facility to this point, and stressed that allowing such a facility is not an easy process. Ward 3 Alderman Mark Gaffney told Patch.com that the council is waiting to hear Mayor Scott Galvin’s thoughts on the proposal. There also has to be a plan for funding. Because marijuana is not legal on a federal level, funding for the facility would have to come from private investors.

“The mayor has to be on board,” Gaffney said. “There is still much that needs to happen.”

Mayor Galvin was not immediately available for comment.

Jayne and David Vining, of the Cardiac Arrhythmia Syndromes Foundation (CAS), met with the committee to give their pitch to bring one of CAS’ Compassionate Care Clinics to Woburn. The Vining’s pitch is the second such presentation the committee has heard in two months.

The Compassionate Care Clinic’s mission is “To serve and protect medical marijuana patients by providing safe, secure and legal access and to preserve the trust of our citizens by unconditionally and rigorously enforcing the laws of the commonwealth of MA,” according to literature on CAS’ website. In addition, Jayne Vining discussed a personal motive for bringing this facility to Woburn.

Vining’s daughter was injured in a car accident in 2010 and prescribed opiate painkillers which she later became addicted to. Vining believes that her daughter may not have fallen victim to addiction had there been access to medical marijuana, reported The Daily Times Chronicle.

“Perhaps she wouldn’t have been out on the street,” Vining reportedly said. “I want to help people suffering from pain, at the same time ridding drug dealers from our towns.”

David Vining estimated 60 percent of the facility’s proceeds would go toward administrative costs and the remaining 40 percent would be directed toward philanthropic efforts. Ward 7 Alderman Raymond Drapeau is not keen on how the proceeds from medical marijuana sales would be used.

“I thought that 60/40 was going to be the other way around,”Drapeau reportedly said. “I don’t consider that a good percentage … it would be much better is 60 percent was going toward the philanthropic end.”

Gaffney said he feels comfortable with the directions of the proceeds from medical marijuana sales because the facility needs to be funded exclusively with private funds.

“I’m okay with that because these investors have to recoup their investments,” Gaffney said. “They have to pay their investors and they will be giving their profits to charity. It seems like the reasonable thing to do.”

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