First set of Dispensaries are Going to be Functional in Baltimore

October 25,2017 Baltimore

In next few months, there will be 11 new marijuana dispensaries opened in all Baltimore districts. Some of them have made their locations public. In a locality of North Baltimore, a former hardware shop is being remodeled into medical cannabis dispensary with the name Chesapeake Integrated Health Institute. Nearly a mile away, another dispensary (Medical Products and Services) is opening in the place of cultural gallery.

Both of the dispensaries are going to open in areas that are zoned for businesses and residencies. However, response from residents on the opening of these two dispensaries is very contrasting.

Residents and shop owners located around Chesapeake Integrated Health Institute doesn’t show any noticeable distress. But on the other hand, residents living around Medical Products and Services have shared their concerns of security in the backdrop of opening of the dispensary.

Owner of Medical Products and Services understands people’s reservation due to unfamiliarity with relatively new business of medical cannabis.

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It has been more than four years since the state of Maryland endorsed the use of medical marijuana and after various delays and red tapes; the state is finally going to have 102 dispensaries in its 57 districts.

The 11 dispensaries are dispersed across six legislative districts of Baltimore. Like other states, Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission doesn’t restrict the owners of dispensaries to disclose their locations before getting the permit. It allows Maryland dispensary owners to circumvent the approval of community associations of neighborhoods. This is also the reason behind the cautious response of Wyman Park residents (location of Medical Products and Services).

As per recent zoning regulations of Baltimore, marijuana dispensaries will be regulated in the same fashion as pharmacies. City administration has done a right thing to accommodate medical dispensaries in the preexisting zone. However, some people want medical marijuana to be treated and regulated with exceptional rules.
In the community meeting of Wyman Park residents regarding marijuana dispensary, crime was the most discussed issue. Some of the residents even mentioned inconclusive studies to stress that there is a connection between location of dispensary and tendency of crimes in the area.

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Community association is forcing the city council to revise their zoning laws of dispensaries. According to city officials, they will take a decisive step after hearing the complaints and concerns. Few members of the city council think that even after hearings, it will be unlikely to reverse the approvals and permits that have been issued already. To address this situation, an improvised solution is taking its place i.e. an MOU between neighborhood communities and dispensary owners to be signed providing the agreed details about security, packaging, lighting and employee eligibility.

According to experts, MOUs will be a great tool to have cordial working environment between residents and dispensary operators. One member of the neighborhood association is of the thought that having in-person meeting with dispensaries operators is a perfect way to reach similar grounds without getting worked up on zoning regulations.

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