Needham Marijuana Regulations Still Being Shaped

Medicinal marijuana dispensaries coming to some communities in the Commonwealth, but Needham and others are still trying to figure out what that will look like.

A number of residents turned out for the Needham Board of Selectmen's hearing on marijuana (some of whom had stayed from the water ban hearing minutes prior), and shared their thoughts on the location and use of medicinal marijuana around town. 

Medicinal marijuana dispensaries are currently under the year-long moratorium imposed in a vote by Town Meeting earlier this year while officials try to figure out how to apply it locally.

"The law itself is vague in a number of senses, and does not particularly talk about the specifics of how it interrelates with town's zoning rules." Selectmen Chair Dan Matthews explained. "One of the responses was the one-year moratorium."

Needham Board of Health member Jane Fogg commented, "Speaking as a primary care physician, this is an enormously complicated matter."

Zoning for Marijuana

In the November 2012 vote, Massachusetts voters opted to allow a handful of medicinal marijuana dispensaries to open across the Commonwealth. There will be 35 of them in all. Needham and Newton were considered as possible locations by the company CannaMed, which ultimately chose another town.

For Police Chief Phil Droney, there are a number of safety and logistical concerns that he has with the medical marijuana facilities. He feels a dispensary could bring a lot of people from out of town, a lot of money, and possibly some crime. 

Droney did note that he and other public safety officials have been talking about medical marijuana and how it will apply to their Massachusetts communities. 

"It's all new to us here, so we are all talking together." Droney explained "It's the kind of thing where we want to see what's going on."

During the public hearing, Needham resident Dennis Ozer came before the Board to talk about his experiences with medical marijuana as a cancer survivor. He explained that obtaining his certificate had been a long process, as is getting in touch with any of the dispensaries. 

"The dispensary was a model place," he said, comparing it to a liquor store.

Dana Farber Cancer Institute prescribed him Marinol, a THC-based pill, and similar products for three years. Ozer added that he was not the only resident with a similar chronic condition.

"There is a need to have such a facility. I'm not sure what the financial arrangement is, but I believe that with the business laws [in Needham], we can find a solution that will work for most people," said Ozer.

"Here I am. I'm 65 years old. I'm not going to smoke it in the park." Added Ozer

Because such a dispensary would have to be within commercially-zoned areas of town, and they are restricted from being within 500 feet of places "children might congregate," i.e. schools, parks, and other such public spaces, there are only a handful of locations these dispensaries could wind up: The Needham Crossing neighborhood, the Crescent Road retail areas, and near the Roche Bros. on Chestnut Street. 

A couple of the residents who spoke pointed out that Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital is building a cancer treatment center, and that it may make sense to locate the dispensary near there for the convenience of the patients.

Ozer also noted that the dispensary he had visited had not been buried in the back of the neighborhood, as some residents felt the Needham Crossing industrial park location would be.

Officials did note that there is a provision in the law which allows residents who are unable to reach a dispensary to grow their own plants. This was referenced, but not explored at the Tuesday night hearing.

No Smoking (Pot)?

Marijuana is decriminalized in the state of Massachusetts, which means that being caught with an ounce of pot can hit you with a civil fine of $100. However, another element of the marijuana bylaws being considered is a fine for public smoking of the plant.

Selectman Matthews explained that the fine is intended to mirror similar bylaws the town already has in place regarding drinking alcohol in public. He explained that those laws were in response to softball games a number of years ago, where drinking took place, which later became problematic. These problems disappeared after the bylaws went into effect.

Dr. Fogg observed that smoking is not the only way to take marijuana, and that it can be ingested. She did say the odds of an officer confiscating a weed brownie are "slim." 


Town Meeting voted to put a year-long moratorium on the medical marijuana dispensary zoning earlier this year. This moratorium will allow officials to address what they have described "as ambiguities, policy issues and questions" about how to apply the outlined law at a town government level.

Before the November vote, several Needham Health officials spoke out against the medical marijuana initiative. Gov. Patrick said he would likely vote against the ballot question. In October, Needham and Newton were considered for Locations of Medical Marijuana 'Consultation Centers', but were ultimately passed over.

Selectman Matthew Borrelli added, "Any business in a new industry has growing pains. There's no need to be on bleeding edge with this."

No action was taken by the board at last night's hearing, but the feedback from all of the residents will be taken into consideration as they consider these items.