• 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

CURRENT STREET EDITION

DIG 23.05 – 4/8/21

THE MILK STREET MARIJUANA DANCE

Written by MIKE CANN Posted June 17, 2015 Filed Under: Blunt Truth, COLUMNS, NEWS+OPINIONS

NEW WEB HEAD TEMPLATE copy

 

When it comes to zoning for the planned Patriot Care Boston medical marijuana dispensary on Milk Street in Downtown Crossing, Mayor Marty Walsh is stuck between pot and a hard place. On one side there are those who oppose the dispensary—his allies in drug and alcohol treatment programs, and powerful folks at the Downtown Business Improvement District (BID). On the other side are those who wish to see it open—cannabis advocates, presumably the 69 percent of voters in Boston who supported medical marijuana at the polls in 2012, and so on.

 

On July 7, Patriot Care’s application for a special permit is expected to be voted on by Boston’s Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA). As I put it to the Mayor over the phone last week on WBZ Radio, as he was fielding calls on “Nightside with Dan Rea” …

 

“Mayor Walsh, I want to thank you for a column that I wrote for DigBoston. It was 10 quotes from you and it was very popular online; people are upset about your statements related to marijuana reform, considering that, how can patients and voters be confident that you will give the dispensary on Milk Street a fair shake in their upcoming zoning board meeting?”

 

Walsh’s response: “Well, it’s really not up to me. It will be decided by the zoning board later this month. It’s not yet decided. There is some neighborhood opposition but there’s also [resident] support for it. We’ll see how the zoning board decides.”

 

I had to ask: “But mayor, are you really giving the dispensary a fair shake? How can patients know you aren’t blocking this with backdoor politics?”

 

To which he said: “I can tell you I have met with a representative of Patriot Care, the owner. He seems to be a very nice man, so I have done that and we’ll see how the zoning board decides.”

 

For some perspective on small business permitting in Boston, I reached out to Scott Matalon, a member of the Allston Board of Trade and the owner of Stingray Body Art. “Downtown Crossing is a commercial zone,” he says. “I can’t think of a zone that is more commercial in our city; it’s an ideal location. If not there, then where? If it’s not allowed in a major commercial zone like Downtown Crossing, then where in the City of Boston?”

 

If Patriot Care is denied a permit on July 7, many residents may be asking the same question: “If not here, then where?”—and looking at Mayor Walsh as the reason for why they have to travel to Brookline or farther for dispensary access. Who won’t be blamed? For starters, Patriot Care backers like the Massachusetts Patient Advocacy Alliance, the Franciscan Friars at St. Anthony Shrine, members of the AIDS Action Committee of Massachusetts, and Boston City Councilors Matt O’Malley, Tito Jackson, Ayanna Pressley, and Josh Zakim.

 

In the past, Mayor Walsh has indicated that he’s willing to spend political capital on opposing a popular statewide marijuana legalization initiative. But how about medical? In the short-term? Is he willing to hobble his upcoming reelection efforts, and to shoulder the blame for blocking a dispensary that will inevitably end up somewhere else in the city anyway? As neighboring cities and towns move ahead on these matters, Walsh may want to finally take reality into consideration.

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, NEWS+OPINIONS Tagged With: Boston, Dispensaries, dispensaries in Mass, Downtown Crossing, Marijuana, Massachusetts, Mayor Walsh, Mike Cann, Milk Street, MMA, Patriot Care, Politics, prohibition

WHAT’S NEW

IF YOU’RE SURPRISED THE BPD CODDLED AN ACCUSED MOLESTER COP, YOU’RE NOT PAYING ATTENTION

IF YOU’RE SURPRISED THE BPD CODDLED AN ACCUSED MOLESTER COP, YOU’RE NOT PAYING ATTENTION

PICS & RECAP: COMMUNITY CANDLE VIGIL HONORING VICTIMS OF ANTI-ASIAN VIOLENCE

PICS & RECAP: COMMUNITY CANDLE VIGIL HONORING VICTIMS OF ANTI-ASIAN VIOLENCE

CAMBRIDGE CHURCH MINISTER SPEAKS ABOUT RECENT VANDALISM OF SIGN

CAMBRIDGE CHURCH MINISTER SPEAKS ABOUT RECENT VANDALISM OF SIGN

PRESSLEY MEETS WITH LOCAL 26 WORKERS

PRESSLEY MEETS WITH LOCAL 26 WORKERS

THE HOUR THAT THE SHIP COMES IN

THE HOUR THAT THE SHIP COMES IN

JANEY OFFICIALLY DECLARES THAT SHE WILL RUN FOR FULL TERM

JANEY OFFICIALLY DECLARES THAT SHE WILL RUN FOR FULL TERM

Primary Sidebar

HEMPIRE FREEDOM PACK 25% OFF

FEATURED EVENT

Most Popular

  • VACCINE EQUITY NOW! COALITION ASKS BAKER TO ALLOCATE 20% OF NEW DOSES TO HARD HIT COMMUNITIES by SHIRA LAUCHAROEN
  • A NEW PLACE FOR MORE PEOPLE TO CALL HOME IN TOUGH TIMES by MARK EMMONS
  • rally to protest discrimination and crimes against Asian and Pacific islanders during Stop Asian Hate rally on Boston Common in Boston PICS & RECAP: “STOP ASIAN HATE BOSTON” RALLY ON THE COMMON by KEIKO HIROMI
  • IF YOU’RE SURPRISED THE BPD CODDLED AN ACCUSED MOLESTER COP, YOU’RE NOT PAYING ATTENTION by CHRIS FARAONE
  • A FAREWELL TRIBUTE (OF SORTS) TO MARTY WALSH by DIG STAFF

READ CURRENT MEMBER EDITION

DIG Member 2.1 – March 2021

READ CURRENT STREET ISSUE

DIG 23.05 – 4/8/21

Footer

digbos

digbos
“We’re not going to survive for 20 more years “We’re not going to survive for 20 more years if we don’t do this [move to a bigger space].” https://digboston.com/how-juliet-hit-a-100k-kickstarter-goal-in-4-days/ #restaurant #business #food #crowdfund #SomervilleMA #coronavirus #COVID19
EDITORIAL: DIGBOSTON SEEKS CLIMATE IDEAS FOR MAYOR EDITORIAL: DIGBOSTON SEEKS CLIMATE IDEAS FOR MAYOR KIM JANEY. Environmental organizations and individual activists invited to submit opinion articles for publication. https://digboston.com/editorial-digboston-seeks-climate-ideas-for-mayor-kim-janey/ #politics @boston_mayor #environment #globalwarming #climate #activist #callforsubmissions #policy #Boston #Massachusetts
“Most are some of my favorite bars or local clas “Most are some of my favorite bars or local classics that I’ve learned to love in my time living in the city. Others just have a great facade that I know would make a great drawing.” https://digboston.com/drawn-but-not-forgotten-local-artist-sketches-beloved-boston-restaurants/ #art #artist #sketch #drawing #Boston #Massachusetts #bar #restaurant
Despite #pandemic hurdles, Mass #music instructors Despite #pandemic hurdles, Mass #music instructors hit new high notes. “My #teaching has gone to another level.” https://digboston.com/the-medium-is-the-maestro/ #education #Massachusetts #coronavirus #COVID19
From the podcast to the book, Wayne Federman chron From the podcast to the book, Wayne Federman chronicles the business of joke-telling. https://digboston.com/the-history-of-stand-up-from-mark-twain-to-dave-chappelle/ #comedy #history #book #interview #Boston #Massachusetts
“I’m calling on some of you to drop by a local “I’m calling on some of you to drop by a local field office and hear what people have to say.” https://digboston.com/dear-reader-the-political-season-is-upon-us-embrace-it/ #politics #commentary #election #Massachusetts
“I think most people agree that we want our publ “I think most people agree that we want our public dollars to go to those companies that are not cutting corners.” https://digboston.com/bill-seeks-to-penalize-contractors-for-unsafe-conditions/ #politics #legislation #construction #safety #labor #Massachusetts
“It’s just shocking to me for Massachusetts, t “It’s just shocking to me for Massachusetts, the state that puts itself forward as this paragon of democracy. Those are just fundamental building blocks of a democratic society.” https://digboston.com/researchers-show-extent-of-lobbying-against-climate-bills-in-ma/ #environment #globalwarming #climate #crisis #politics #lobby #Massachusetts
I was lucky enough to get an extra #vaccine. Here’s how it went down. https://digboston.com/young-healthy-and-inoculated/ #young #youth #student #college #vaccination #publichealth #health #Boston #Massachusetts #coronavirus #COVID19
The MBTA confirmed that it will “fully fund its The MBTA confirmed that it will “fully fund its operating budget in the coming fiscal year and begin to restore cut service.” https://digboston.com/public-transit-public-good-responds-to-restoring-mbta-service/ #transportation #politics #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]