This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Community Corner

4 Medical Marijuana Applicants Vie for Vineyard Permit

A list of medical marijuana dispensary applicants has been released by the state Department of Public Health, and there are four in Dukes County. Since Cuttyhunk is an unlikely venue, where on Martha's Vineyard do you think a pot shop should go?

Louisa Hufstader, Neighbor
|

Written by Ryan Grannan-Doll, Adam Roberts and Louisa Hufstader

There are four applicants seeking state permission to operate a medical marijuana treatment center in Dukes County, though it's not clear where a center would be located once the state makes its choice.

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health released the statewide list of 181 applications Friday. See the full list.

Find out what's happening in Martha's Vineyardwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The following applicants and application contact persons expressed interest in opening a dispensary in Dukes County:

  • Greenleaf MV Compassion Care, Susan Sanford
  • MV Greencross, Inc., Michael Peters
  • Patient Centric of Martha's Vinyard, Ltd., no name given
  • Kingsbury Group Inc., Mark Wallace
Kingsbury Group and Wallace also have two applications in Barnstable County, which has received a total of nine.

Middlesex County has the largest number of applicants at 47, followed by Suffolk County with 21. 

Find out what's happening in Martha's Vineyardwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Plymouth County got 19, Essex County received 16, Worcester County received 14, Hampden County got 13, Norfolk County got 12, Bristol County received nine, Franklin County got seven, Berkshire County received three, Hampshire County got five and Nantucket County received two applications.

In September, the DPH will specify which applicants will move to the final phase of the application process, according to WBUR. The DPH has said it could approve up to 35 dispensaries statewide by January. State law prohibits more than five per county. 

The developments come as some communities are placing moratoriums on medical marijuana shops or altering zoning regulations to control where they are located.

At town meeting in April, Edgartown voters passed a moratorium on pot shops, but stopped at banning the public consumption of medical marijuana.

In Vineyard Haven, public consumption was voted down, but so was the dispensary moratorium.

Oak Bluffs voters also failed to support a moratorium, making it likely that any dispensary chosen for Dukes County will be located in either that town or Vineyard Haven, the Island's two busiest communities.

Where on Martha's Vineyard should a medical marijuana dispensary be located? Tell us in the comments.
We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?

More from Martha's Vineyard