City Councilors William J. Macek, Mary Ellen Daly’O’Brien and Michael S. McGonagle review a map of Haverhill’s medical marijuana zone, within the Broadway (route 97) industrial park.
Now, there are three petitions—two for and one against—a proposed Haverhill medical marijuana store.
Massachusetts Patient Advocacy Alliance and Healthy Pharms, provisional licensee of a Haverhill store, have collected more than 600 signatures in support of Healthy Pharms’ plans, said lawyers for the company. Healthy Pharms’ Attorney Valerio Romano explained to WHAV why the petitions were distributed.
“There had been some opposition which Healthy Pharms and the Massachusetts Patient Advocacy Alliance both felt didn’t actually reflect what Haverhill truly thought on the issue,” Romano said.
Massachusetts Patient Advocacy Alliance, described as a coalition of medical marijuana patients, family members, caregivers and public health groups, placed its petition online. It says, signers “support the establishment and operation of a medical use of marijuana dispensary in Haverhill, Massachusetts so that patients suffering from serious illnesses such as cancer, HIV/AIDS, ALS, multiple sclerosis, and other debilitating diseases can have safe access to the medicine recommended by their doctor, and “believe it is the responsibility of the elected officials in Haverhill to implement and regulate a medical use of marijuana dispensary as approved by over 63% of the voters in the city.”
A second petition by Healthy Pharms “received the majority of its petition signatures from Haverhill residents,” the company said.
A month ago, Debra Maddox, wife of John L. Maddox, Haverhill Public Schools’ pediatrician, delivered more than 200 signatures to the Haverhill City Clerk’s office in opposition to the siting of Healthy Pharms. Megan Shea, one of the signers, told WHAV last night, “I can say that we have additional signatures from ‘real’ people. We were approaching 400 signatures at last count.
City Council President John A. Michitson told WHAV in early April the opponents’ petition has not been presented to the council at the request of Haverhill Mayor James J. Fiorentini.
“The mayor decided not to move forward with agenda item. Dr. Maddox wanted to put a related item on agenda so that he could speak regarding the mayor’s item. The mayor pulled it, so Dr. Maddox pulled his item. It’s that simple.” When asked how the two items are related, Michitson said, “The petition itself is not tied to mayor’s agenda item.”
Fiorentini is reportedly seeking a $500,000 host agreement with the firm.
I definitely think Haverhill should have medical marijuana dispensaries for medical conditions. Why not have it controlled? I don’t think there is more opposition than support. I hope city of Haverhill will talk about this again and make forward momentum.
Uhhhh, you are a bit late on this. Not happening in Haverhill.
Healthy Pharms creates a petition which finds Haverhill residents ‘want’ a weed distribution center in the city. NOW there is a surprise.
Why don’t they have a petition exploring who the doctors are who ‘alleged’ patients will get there prescriptions from? Because it won’t be their primary care physicians. It’s going to create a whole cottage industry of doctors who will create another revenue stream for themselves PCP’s won’t prescribe pot to their patients.
What is the city going to do the first time someone is caught selling pot down the street that they purchased at Healthy Pharms? You know it’s going to happen. This is a major problem that occurred in Colorado after they set up medical pot stores. How many cops is the city going to have to pay in order to manage this issue? Is Healthy Pharms going to pay that city expense?
Leave it to this corrupt mayor who is a huge advocate of drug facilities in the city to throw away the quality of life in Haverhill for the sake of a buck.
Jack….So what you are saying is that you are against the democratic process? the people voted on the question, and the question was passed…It’s as simple as that!!! Your statement that prescriptions WON’T be coming from their primary care physicians is most likely right, as it will be coming from specialist in cancer, neurologists, etc!
If you look around the city is isn’t hard to find pot on just about ANY street corner, so selling pot that comes from Healthy Pharms will have a lot of competition! maybe you should worry more about the heroine problem that is ravaging the city more than people smoking pot! Oh wait I know you are one of the people that saying pot is the starter drug , and then people go to cocaine and heron. Come on, please take off the blinders and open your eyes!
Why can’t people see what this can do to help with pain from cancer, ms, als, etc?
Paul, the people ALSO voted favorably on the death penalty and reducing the increase in our income taxes but politicians on Bacon Hill decide to do what they want to do. I don;t think that’s the issue. One issue is the Mayor playing dirty by altering LEGAL documents then tricking a city councilor into signing them. The Mayor should have been forced to step down because of that. It stinks worse than the pot itself !
“Fiorentini is reportedly seeking a $500,000 host agreement with the firm.” –
Liberty costs a lot in Haverhill.