On Monday we passed Article 6, a zoning bylaw amendment defining where a medical marijuana treatment center could be located within Arlington.
We won’t be seeing a medical marijuana treatment center in Arlington, regardless of where we say they can go.
The state provides a lot of hoops for these facilities to jump through, and greatly restrict how many can be established, and where.
Arlington is also not where someone wanting to open up a treatment center will want to put it.
That’s not to say it is absolutely impossible for one to exist in Arlington: just exceptionally unlikely.
Nonetheless this article saw some opposition.
When we talk about the benefits of living in a democracy, we often talk about the strength and stability of our government, the balance of powers that exist, etc.
We forget about one key benefit. It’s may not be the best thing about living in a democracy, but I think it is too often overlooked.
Entertainment value.
Two-thirds of Arlington voters supported the legalization of medical marijuana use, and the existence of medical marijuana treatments centers that came with that law.
However if you approach any precinct in Arlington and suggest that a treatment center be established in their neighborhood, all of a sudden roughly two-thirds of the voters in that precinct feel that opening up a treatment center in their neighborhood is a very bad idea.
Let me be fair: they have excellent reasons and arguments about why their neighborhood is a poor location.
The problem is, every single neighborhood has excellent reasons.
Luckily for all of us in Arlington, I don’t think we’ll ever have to hear the protestations of neighbors when one of these things gets set to open up here.
It just isn't going to happen.
I hope not anyway, as I voted in favor of zoning that would permit treatment centers in my precinct, along Massachusetts avenue.
If one ever overcomes all the odds and actually does open here, I’m guessing that about two-thirds of the residents in my precinct will eagerly kick me to the curb the next time I’m up for re-election.
I have no issue with a medical marijuana treatment center opening up in my neighborhood. I don't see why it should be any difference that a pharmacy that sells strong pain killers. It's for medical use, we voted for it, I'm disappointed in Marty Walsh for trying to block them in Boston, we need to start thinking about the people for whom medical marijuana would bring great relief.
ReplyDeleteI'm in agreement and upset also that almost always lost in the discussion about where to zone these centers is the reason the voters supported establishing them in the first place: real people that are suffering real pain and need our support.
DeleteAs an individual, I wouldn't mind if one opened up next door to me.
I lived in L.A. for one year where medical marijuana was legal and not nearly as well regulated as they have sought to make in in Massachusetts. I personally never heard of or saw any issues with the medical marijuana shops there.
However I don't go to Town Meeting to represent myself: I'm there to represent my neighbors.
I understand how their concerns arise.
I will take any opportunity I have to educate them to the best of my ability about this issue, and why the voters chose to allow medical marijuana in the first place.
Many in our community think these shops exist so that people can obtain marijuana for recreational use, with the excuse that it helps them overcome the pain and discomfort of athletes foot, or something ridiculous like that.
My understanding is that our law in Massachusetts was not written in a manner that allows this, and this belief does a real disservice to people who are already in a lot of pain who hope to obtain some better quality of life as a result of having access to medical marijuana.
However as I said earlier, I represent the residents of my precinct, and there are valid concerns people have anytime you open up any sort of business near a residential area. When so little is known by many about what the treatment centers will be like and what changes it might bring, we have our work cut out for us answering those questions and addressing those concerns.
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ReplyDeleteIt’s sad to think that there are still people who doesn't support this kind of medication, notwithstanding the fact that it could help counter the symptoms of some illness. Marijuana has been associated with a lot of negative factors, and that limits its chances to be in the mainstream market in some states. Anyway, it’s nice to know that you are really making a stand on this topic. Thanks for sharing this with us, and good luck!.
ReplyDeleteArthur Andreas @ Kushgo