New State Medical Marijuana Rules Put in Place

New regulations will go into effect May 24.

New rules for the medical use of marijuana have been written into the commonwealth's regulatory code by the Massachusetts Public Health Council Wednesday, according to State House News Service report published on LowellSun.com. Among the new regulations are how much marijuana can be generally used by patients, the licensing procedure for medical marijuana dispensaries and how low-income patients can get access, according to the report. These regulations will go into effect May 24, according to the Sun. In November, Massachusetts voters approved a ballot measure that would allow doctors to prescribe marijuana as part of a treatment. Under the law, the state was operating under a 120-day window starting Jan. 1 for creating regulations for …

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Needham Town Meeting Passes Marijuana Moratorium

Medical marijuana dispensary centers temporarily banned from town until regulations are developed.

  While medical marijuana is on its way to towns in Mass., Needham won't see any until next year.  Needham Annual Town Meeting voted Monday night to approve article 18, which imposes a moratorium on medical marijuana dispensaries,  Needham Yourtown confirms. The moratorium was proposed in an early January meeting, and would allow officials to put off zoning regulations for up to a year. The Selectmen called it a move that made sense at a late January meeting. The delay will put decisions off until March 1, 2014.  Several Needham Health officials spoke out against the medical marijuana initiative, and Gov. Patrick said he would likely vote against the ballot question. Despite that, medical marijuana dispensaries were approved in the …

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Planning Board Considering Medical Marijuana Moratorium Article

The Planning Board will deliberate their position on the medical marijuana moratorium warrant supported by the Selectmen.

  Officials are not yet sure how medical marijuana dispensaries would work in Needham, and are trying to get some more time to examine the issue. The Selectmen presented their views on a warrant article, which would push that decision back for a year, to the Planning Board on Tuesday night. The Planning Board has not taken a position, but Selectmen hope they will back it before it heads to Town Meeting.  The article calls for a year-long moratorium, which would allow officials to address their questions and concerns about how to apply the outlined law at a town level.  Selectman Dan Matthews explained the Selectmen's position, "Purpose of the moratorium is not to do nothing, but to allow some thoughtful consideration. The moratorium time …

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Needham Selectmen: Medical Marijuana Moratorium 'Makes Sense'

Board of Selectmen voted last night on a delay of the medical marijuana question passed by Mass. voters in November.

Needham Selectmen: Medical Marijuana Moratorium 'Makes Sense'

Board of Selectmen voted last night on a delay of the medical marijuana question passed by Mass. voters in November.

  Medical marijuana dispensaries were approved in the November vote, and the law is set to go into effect within the month--but not in Needham, yet. A moratorium proposed in an early January meeting would allow officials to put off zoning regulations for up to a year. The Selectmen voted last night unanimously in favor of that delay until March 1, 2014.  Said Selectmen Maurice Handel, "This is respectful of the vote that voters of Massachusetts took, and allows for adequate response from the town. It makes complete sense to do this." The concept, officials say, is to wait for the Mass Department of Public Health regulations and guidelines about the law before starting to write comparable zoning for Needham. "It's smart to have cooling off …

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Needham Selectmen Considering Mortatorium on Medical Marijuana

A nine- to twelve-month delay on medical marijuana zoning and regulations may be coming before Needham's Town Meeting in the spring.

  The question of zoning and public consumption of medical marijuana may be delayed, as officials are talking about putting a warrant article before Town Meeting which would put the question off for nine months to a year.  Members of the Board of Health spoke to the Selectmen at last night's meeting, discussing some of the complications they are finding with the medical marijuana.  In the November election, a question allowing for medical marijuana dispensaries to be set up in Mass. was approved. This law is set to go into effect within the month. However, Selectman Dan Matthews commented that the outlined law "presents a number of ambiguities, policy issues, and questions" on how to apply it at a town government level. “We believe the …

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Needham, Newton Could Be Locations of Medical Marijuana 'Consultation Centers'

Newton, Needham and Brighton are all being mentioned as possible locations for evaluation offices if Framingham office is successful.

Needham, Newton Could Be Locations of Medical Marijuana 'Consultation Centers'

Newton, Needham and Brighton are all being mentioned as possible locations for evaluation offices if Framingham office is successful.

  Places to get a doctor's note to use medical marijuana could be opening soon in Needham and Newton, boston.com reports. The California-based company CannaMed already has plans to open in January in Framingham, after postponing its opening from December 15. According to the boston.com story, if the Framingham office is successful, CannaMed says it also wants to expand to open new offices in Needham and Newton. Framingham Patch reported Friday: "A spokesperson for CannaMed of Boston said the company is a medical practice. He said patients would bring their medical records from their primary physicians to CannaMed's doctors. Doctors at CannaMed would evaluate the patient, review the records and them "determine if they qualify for a …

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Canna Med

11:11 am on Monday, February 4, 2013

Cannameds of Boston 873 Concord St. Need ham , Mass 01701 Joseph Andrews MD 508-620-4500   more ›

TELL US: Would You Want a Marijuana Dispensary in Town?

The medical marijuana ballot initiative passed on Tuesday, which means up to 35 medical marijuana dispensaries can open in 2013. Would you be OK with having one in town?

Medical marijuana is coming to Massachusetts. The question is: where? The medical marijana ballot initiative that passed in Tuesdays election with 63 percent voter approval means that up to 35 medical marijuana dispensaries can open up in the state in 2013. The new law goes into effect January 1, but requires rules and regulations be set up by the Department of Public Health. Some towns and cities, such as Quincy, reportedly are already trying to line up regulations that would keep dispensaries out of their municipalities, which have proved troublesome in some of the nine states where medical marijuana dispensaries have been legal. What do you think? Is this a classic case of NIMBY (fine, but Not In My Back Yard)? Or do medical marijuana …

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Medical Marijuana: What Does Your Vote Mean?

Find out what a yes or no vote on Question 3 will mean.

On Nov. 6, Massachusetts voters will be asked to vote on three questions along with the state and federal political races. Question 3 is regarding the legalization of medical marijuana. "This proposed law would eliminate state criminal and civil penalties for the medical use of marijuana by qualifying patients. To qualify, a patient must have been diagnosed with a debilitating medical condition," the  Massachusetts Secretary of State's website says. According to the website, a "yes" vote would allow for patients to smoke marijuana if it is prescribed by a doctor. A "no" vote would make no change to the current law and keep the practice illegal.

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