• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • HOME
  • NEWS+OPINIONS
    • NEWS TO US
    • COLUMNS
      • APPARENT HORIZON
      • DEAR READER
      • Close
    • LONGFORM FEATURES
    • OPINIONS
    • EDITORIAL
    • Close
  • ARTS+ENTERTAINMENT
    • FILM
    • MUSIC
    • COMEDY
    • PERFORMING ARTS
    • VISUAL ARTS
    • Close
  • DINING+DRINKING
    • EATS
    • SIPS
    • Close
  • LIFESTYLE
    • CANNABIS
      • TALKING JOINTS MEMO
      • Close
    • WELLNESS
    • GTFO
    • Close
  • STUFF TO DO
  • TICKETS
  • ABOUT US
    • 5 DOUBLE-U’S
    • MASTHEAD
    • DISTRIBUTION
    • ADVERTISE
    • SUBMISSIONS
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • Close
  • BECOME A MEMBER

Dig Bos

The Dig - Boston's Only Newspaper

READ CURRENT STREET ISSUE

DIG Year End 2020

A MONTH OF MASS MARIJUANA REFORM: PREPARE TO SPEND A LOT OF TIME ON BEACON HILL

Written by MIKE CANN Posted July 29, 2015 Filed Under: Blunt Truth, COLUMNS

NEW WEB HEAD TEMPLATE

Image by Kent Buckley

 

The first week of August is going to be busy for Boston’s marijuana reform community.

 

On the morning of Tuesday, August 4, Hub medical dispensary applicant Patriot Care goes before the Boston Zoning Board of Appeal for a hearing about their planned Milk Street operation. During a recent webcast of my online radio show, “The Young Jurks,” Dennis Kunian of Patriot Care reported that Mayor Marty Walsh actually requested a deferral at the previous hearing so that he might help broker a deal between the dispensary and anti-marijuana NIMBYs with the Downtown Boston Business Improvement District (BID).

 

“We’re following the mayor’s advice, meeting with the BID later this week to offer them office space and support,” Kunian said. “We’re pleased that the mayor is involved in the process. I also want to thank you Mike, I’m not sure you know how many people read DigBoston and listen to this program, but we [Patriot Care] know your reporting, it’s made a difference. Our community has made it happen, the phone calls, the emails have been tremendous, as well as the amount of people that came out in support at the first two hearings. We hope to get the word out again for August 4 … it will be the third, and I promise the final zoning hearing—I promise you that we need everybody to come out again to City Hall on the fourth. We’re still expecting some of the same opposition.”

 

After that, on Wednesday, August 5, the campaigns of the Marijuana Policy Project and Bay State Repeal will score headlines with their dueling marijuana legalization initiatives, which are due to be officially submitted that day to the office of the Commonwealth Attorney General. As these things go, that will also be the day that most advocates finally get to read the proposed MPP wording. From there, if both initiatives land on the ballot, and then are passed by a majority of voters, the law bends toward that which gathered the most votes. Naturally, if both initiatives go to voters, most supporters of the green will simply vote for the pair.

 

As if that’s not enough, on Thursday, August 6, a solemn procession of medical marijuana activists will gather in support of H.2065, “An Act to protect patients approved by physicians and certified by the Department of Public Health to access medical marijuana.” Billed as “a funeral for medical marijuana patients who have died waiting for safe access,” the demonstration will involve advocates and family members of passed patients marching from Boston Common to Beacon Hill. Organizers with the Massachusetts Patient Advocacy Alliance (MPAA) encourage attendees to dress in black.

 

MPAA’s bill would ensure the availability of caregiver services, as well as employment, child custody, and other legal protections to medical marijuana patients. At a recent State House hearing for the bill, local network sports legend Bob Lobel testified with medical marijuana moms Lisa Cole and Jill Hitchman-Osborn, as well as many other advocates, while no one testified in opposition. If there’s anyone out there with more input, and the more input the better, MPAA encourages concerned parties to contact their elected officials, and to urge them to support the measure.

MIKE CANN
More from author
  • MIKE CANN
    https://digboston.com/author/mike-cann/
    YES, WE CANN: HOW BAKER CAN REDUCE OPIATE ABUSE IN THREE EASY STEPS
  • MIKE CANN
    https://digboston.com/author/mike-cann/
    QUACKS AGAINST MARIJUANA: THE MASS MEDICAL SOCIETY STRIKES AGAIN
  • MIKE CANN
    https://digboston.com/author/mike-cann/
    MARIJUANA IGNORANCE, FROM THE GOP DEBATE STAGE TO BEACON HILL
  • MIKE CANN
    https://digboston.com/author/mike-cann/
    MARIJUNDERDOGS: MASSCANN/NORML ENDORSES BAY STATE REPEAL LEGALIZATION INITIATIVE

Filed Under: Blunt Truth, COLUMNS Tagged With: Beacon Hill, Bob Lobel, Jill Hitchman-Osborn, legalization, Lisa Cole, marijuana reform, medical marijuana, MPAA, State House

WHAT’S NEW

VIDEO: MASS VACCINES ADMINISTERED TO MOST VULNERABLE AROUND GREATER BOSTON

VIDEO: MASS VACCINES ADMINISTERED TO MOST VULNERABLE AROUND GREATER BOSTON

2021 Biden inauguration Boston

PHOTOS & RECAP: “NO HONEYMOON FOR BIDEN” RALLY IN BOSTON

2020 Indian farmers' protest - On a truck. Photo CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain by Randeep Maddoke, randeepphotoartist@gmail.com.

OPINION: IS DISSENT ANTI-NATIONALISM OR PATRIOTISM?

WU ASSERTS THE IMPORTANCE OF THE ARTS IN HER CAMPAIGN

WU ASSERTS THE IMPORTANCE OF THE ARTS IN HER CAMPAIGN

STREET MEDICS BOLSTER PROTESTS IN MORE WAYS THAN YOU MAY REALIZE

STREET MEDICS BOLSTER PROTESTS IN MORE WAYS THAN YOU MAY REALIZE

HOW ONE MASS TOWN TOOK EXTRAORDINARY MEASURES TO APPEASE A CONTROVERSIAL COP

HOW ONE MASS TOWN TOOK EXTRAORDINARY MEASURES TO APPEASE A CONTROVERSIAL COP

Primary Sidebar

HEMPIRE FREEDOM PACK 25% OFF

FEATURED EVENT

Most Popular

  • APPOINTED SOMERVILLE OFFICIAL SPURS OUTRAGE WITH TWEETS FROM DC MOB SCENE by MARC LEVY
  • Aerial View Parkman Bandstand at Boston Common. CC BY-SA 4.0 2017 by AbhiSuryawanshi. NO HONEYMOON FOR BIDEN: 1/20 PROTEST ON BOSTON COMMON, 4 PM by MATTHEW ANDREWS
  • VIDEO: COP WHO BRAGGED THAT HE HIT PROTESTERS SHOWS HOW BAD APPLES THRIVE IN BOSTON by CHRIS FARAONE
  • PRISON HORRORS BY THE NUMBERS by SARAH BETANCOURT
  • IT’S HARDER THAN EVER TO FIND A BATHROOM IN BOSTON. WHAT’S THE CITY DOING ABOUT IT? by ZACK HUFFMAN

READ CURRENT MEMBER EDITION

DIG Member 1.9 – 11/26/20

READ CURRENT STREET ISSUE

DIG Year End 2020

Footer

digbos

“Trump was voted out. However, this is not a man “Trump was voted out. However, this is not a mandate for #Biden and #Harris.” https://digboston.com/photos-recap-no-honeymoon-for-biden-rally-in-boston/ #photo #rally #march #left #protest #inauguration #Boston #Massachusetts
OPINION: IS DISSENT ANTI-NATIONALISM OR PATRIOTISM OPINION: IS DISSENT ANTI-NATIONALISM OR PATRIOTISM? #Boston #protest for Indian farmers, Saturday 1/23/21, 12-1 pm at the #Massachusetts State House https://digboston.com/opinion-is-dissent-anti-nationalism-or-patriotism/ #India #politics #food #farmer #protest #justice #solidarity @monica_gill1
HOW ONE MASS TOWN TOOK EXTRAORDINARY MEASURES TO A HOW ONE MASS TOWN TOOK EXTRAORDINARY MEASURES TO APPEASE A CONTROVERSIAL COP https://digboston.com/no-justice-how-officials-in-one-mass-town-took-extraordinary-measures-to-appease-a-controversial-cop/ #ArlingtonMA #police #reform #cop #racism #controversy #BlackLivesMatter #Massachusetts
Ghost kitchens simply don’t have a need for host Ghost kitchens simply don’t have a need for hosts, servers, bartenders, bussers … What happens to those #jobs if virtual kitchens continue to flourish? https://digboston.com/ghost-story-virtual-kitchens-appear-to-be-the-next-big-thing-but-at-what-cost/ #restaurant #labor #work #Boston #Massachusetts #coronavirus #COVID19
“I don’t think we’re going to wake up on Jan “I don’t think we’re going to wake up on Jan. 7 in the same country we went to bed in on the 6th.” https://digboston.com/former-mass-gubernatorial-candidate-predicted-violence-before-assault-on-capitol/ #politics #Massachusetts #national #Capitol #WashingtonDC #MAGA
RADICAL AND RELEVANT: THE LIFE OF HARRY BRILL http RADICAL AND RELEVANT: THE LIFE OF HARRY BRILL https://digboston.com/radical-and-relevant-the-life-of-harry-brill/ #obituary #organizer #radical #sociologist #democracy #politics @UMassBoston @BklynCollege411 @UCBerkeley #Boston #Massachusetts #NewYorkCity #Berkeley #California
NO HONEYMOON FOR BIDEN: 1/20 #PROTEST ON BOSTON CO NO HONEYMOON FOR BIDEN: 1/20 #PROTEST ON BOSTON COMMON, 4 PM https://digboston.com/no-honeymoon-for-biden-1-20-protest-on-boston-common-4-pm/ #opinion #progressive #left #action #inauguration #Boston #Massachusetts
Light and sweet and hoppy, we’re loving this lat Light and sweet and hoppy, we’re loving this latest incarnation of a #beer that’s been in the making for months. https://digboston.com/video-jacks-abby-x-boston-celtics-pride-and-parquet-hoppy-lager-unboxing-tasting/ #fun #video #review #Boston #Massachusetts
Jostling for position and influence are the disadv Jostling for position and influence are the disadvantaged candidates, existing industry participants, and municipalities … https://digboston.com/the-road-to-home-delivery-pt-5-dogs-in-the-fight-identifying-the-players/ #cannabis #politics #analysis #Massachusetts
The candidates will be interviewed about the upcom The candidates will be interviewed about the upcoming race. https://digboston.com/wu-and-campbell-to-speak-at-mayoral-candidate-webinar/ #politics #mayor #campaign #Boston #Massachusetts
Load More... Follow on Instagram
Social Buttons

DigBoston facebook DigBoston Twitter DigBoston Instagram

Masthead

About

Submissions

Advertise

Privacy Policy

Customer Service

Distribution

About Us

DigBoston is a one-stop nexus for everything worth doing or knowing in the Boston area. It's an alt-weekly, it's a website, it's an e-mail blast, it's a twitter account, it's that cool party that you were at last night ... hey, you're reading it, so it's gotta be good. For advertising inquiries: [email protected] To reach Editorial: [email protected] For internship opportunities: [email protected]