Boston medical marijuana dispensary sparks controversy

BOSTON (MyFoxBoston.com) -- There is a lot of controversy over the reported actions of Good Chemistry out of Denver. They secured a lease for a prime spot right on Boylston Street for one of the city's two medical marijuana dispensaries, and retailers are not happy about that.

They are also answering claims that they lied about support from Boston leaders and those businesses. Marijuana dispensary Good Chemistry is not mixing well with Boston city leaders after reportedly admitting to misstatements in its license application. One of which claims approval from Boston City Councilor Steve Murphy, which calls a letter of non-opposition one of support.

"I feel betrayed about it," Boston City Councilor Stephen Murphy said.

Murphy says he met with Good Chemistry last November, and was deceived.

He also said that when he met with the Denver-based company on the Nov. 20, they said they hadn't secured a location. When Good Chemistry's application was filed, Murphy's office found out they had signed a lease for the Boylston Street space on the Nov. 18, just two days before their meeting.

Meg Mainser Cohen, President of the Back Bay Business Association, said, "We sat down with the applicant and they admitted that a good portion of their application about the community process was false."

Mainser Cohen says the retailers and potential neighbors to Good Chemistry are outraged. She says DPH has put the cart before the horse in letting dispensaries like Good Chemistry have licenses before vetting the information in their applications.

"They claimed that they had the support of the local district's city councilor, which they did not. They claimed that they had support and had met with the state delegation, which they had not," Mainser Cohen said.

Mayor Marty Walsh says he wants to review both applications of the dispensaries granted to Boston. There were 20 licenses granted statewide last month.

"When the medical marijuana issue was on the ballot, I didn't support it. I have some concerns with the way the law was written and this is what happens when the law is, some of the time, when the law is a ballot question," Walsh said.

DPH would not say whether they will take away Good Chemistry's license but told FOX 25, "All registered marijuana dispensary applications are signed under the pains and penalties of perjury. If an applicant is found to have provided false information on an application, the department reserves the right to take any appropriate action."

Governor Deval Patrick backed up the DPH.

"There are decisions that DPH is going to have to make about whether that's an application that's ought to be sustained. And I'm gonna step back and let them make it," Patrick said.

FOX 25 reached out to Good Chemistry for comment and they did not respond. They did tell the Boston Globe that they inadvertently placed references to support in Worcester in the part of the application for Boston.

In the meantime, Murphy says he will speak out against Good Chemistry when they go before the Zoning Board for approval this spring.

Cox Media Group