Westborough Votes to Limit Marijuana Dispensary Locations

(NECN: Mike Cronin) – Westborough residents voted Saturday to limit where a marijuana dispensary could be built in town.

Police Chief Alan Gordon says the town is taking a proactive approach to medical marijuana.

“There's a lot of things that have to be thought about by everybody before they put them in place,” said Gordon.

The town says the zoning bylaw would allow a dispensary to only be built in a wooded area along Route 9.

“We will be able to monitor it,” said Gordon. “It's not going to be easily accessible for kids who are walking that may be standing outside trying to purchase marijuana from somebody who just received it for the medicinal purposes.”

The bylaw passed by nearly a three to one margin. The chairman of the town planning board declined an on camera interview, but says the votes in favor of the zoning article include those of many citizens who, by their own admission, also voted in favor of Question 3 last November.

These voters profess compassion for the profoundly ill, and remain in favor of the intent of the law as adopted by the passage of Question 3.

Karen Griegal voted in favor of zoning. She supports a dispensary in Westborough, but says there needs to be strict regulations.

“I did not realize how unprepared the state was to even have the question put on the ballot,” said Griegal.

The town says the Attorney General's office will now review the bylaw and make a decision. Meanwhile, Gordon says he wants to make sure marijuana is used by only the people who need it.

“They voted this in and we have to accept that,” said Gordon. “We understand that, and as long as it's for the purpose that people voted and understood it was going to be for, we really can't have an issue with that.”

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