Is Massachusetts Stalling on Medical Marijuana Dispensaries?

Thursday, June 05, 2014

Nicholas Handy, GoLocalWorcester Contributor

As the medical marijuana taxation and dispensary debates rage on, one amendment to the proposed Senate budget has advocates worried.

Amendment 913 would allow for a commission to be created that would make recommendations about the pricing and taxing of marijuana, how to ensure adequate access to medical marijuana for patients.

“We are concerned that this amendment could be a way for government officials to further delay the opening of dispensaries in Massachusetts,” said Matthew Allen, the Executive Director of the Massachusetts Patient Advocacy Alliance. “While most of the medical marijuana amendments in the Senate budget were killed, this one still remains. We just want patients who need medical marijuana to have proper access with no more delays.”

Originally, five amendments were proposed as a part of the Senate budget. The other four dealt with taxation of medical marijuana and better monitoring and inspection of the dispensary process. The State budget is currently being debated in a Conference Committee.

Stalling the Dispensaries

While more research into marijuana could never be a bad thing, Allen and other advocates are concerned that the committee is trying to be implemented for the wrong reasons. Rather than looking out for the best interest of the patients, government officials may be looking for one more way to delay the dispensary process, something that has been dragging for some time now.

“I am dubious about the intent of this commission,” said Wayne Reiss, a drug policy advocate. “Justice delayed is justice denied. Sick people have the right to access medicine with no further delays. Although the 60 day deadline may seem reasonable, there may be people with life threatening illnesses who may suffer gravely - even die - as a consequence of delay in getting their medicine.”

As written in the amendment, the commission would have 60 days to report their findings. If legislative action is needed as a result of the findings, that would also be presented at the same time as the findings.

Absence of Doctors, Patients

Another problem with the proposed amendment is who the commission would be comprised of. Rather than being a mix of medical and marijuana experts, the proposed commission would be full of politicians.

“The commission is comprised only of legislators and not doctors, care givers, or patients,” said Reiss. “Why wouldn't they include someone like former interim public health commissioner, Dr. Lauren Smith, who co-authored the rules to regulate medical marijuana in Massachusetts? It should be doctors, care givers and patients who advise legislators, not vice versa.”

Allen strongly advocates for patients to be included in the commission because after all, they are the ones who are affected most by any regulations imposed. Rather than policy makers looking into creating more policies and legislation, more talks should happen between patients and legislators.

“If a commission is created to look into low income patients and their access to medical marijuana, then these patients should be included as a part of the commission,” said Allen. “Right now the commission has no outside influence; if we want to look at how pricing and regulation is affecting patients with financial hardship then there should be more of an effort to include patients and their families.”