BANGOR DISPENSARY ENVISIONED

Wary council grapples with pot center site

BANGOR, Maine -- A California-based group that recently was awarded
the license to operate a medical marijuana dispensary for Penobscot
and Piscataquis counties would like to locate the facility in Bangor,
the region's service center.

The only question is where.

Members of the City Council on Monday heard from representatives of
Northeast Patients Group -- which will operate four dispensaries
across the state -- as councilors wrested with proposed ordinance
changes that would accommodate such facilities.

Bangor has a six-month moratorium on marijuana dispensaries that is
set to expire in October, but the council is close to enacting changes
that would replace that temporary ban.

Among the changes considered are amending the city's land development
code to allow dispensaries or cultivation facilities in some zones,
provided there is a reasonable buffer from schools, parks and other
areas children frequent. The current proposed buffer is 1,000 feet,
similar to restrictions placed on methadone clinics. Other provisions
include restricting hours of operation and enforcing certain security
measures.

Becky DeKeuster, CEO of Northeast Patients Group, said Bangor is at
the top of a list of sites in the area, but the company will wait
until the municipal ordinances are straightened out.

"There is no sense finding a place only to find out it doesn't fall
within the guidelines," she said Monday outside the City Council chambers.

Councilors, who are set to vote on the proposed ordinance changes in
early September, remained somewhat wary of medical marijuana
dispensaries. Some wondered why day care facilities or churches
couldn't be added to the list of spots where a buffer would be
appropriate. Others remained skeptical that Northeast Patients Group
had adequate security measures in place.

DeKeuster said she understood the concerns, but she cautioned the
council not to be too prohibitive given the great demand in the area
among patients seeking prescription cannabis, which is used to treat a
variety of illnesses.

"Don't zone this use out of existence," she said.

Last month, Northeast Patients announced that it likely would site its
marijuana cultivation facility in nearby Hermon, although that town is
still sorting out the details. Either way, DeKeuster said Bangor makes
the most sense for the dispensary, and she predicted that between 75
and 100 patients could be served in the first year alone.

Last November, Maine voters approved a system of regulated marijuana
dispensaries for patients with specific medical conditions. State
officials have been sorting out the details since but determined
earlier this year they would permit one such facility in each of
Maine's eight public health districts.

Applicants were judged on a number of criteria, including their
nonprofit mission and business plans, their experience in nonprofit
management, their proposed security systems and their patient
education plans.

Northeast Patients Group scored well in all categories and ultimately
was selected to establish facilities in Portland, Thomaston and the
Augusta area, in addition to Bangor.

DeKeuster, who worked at a dispensary in California for seven years,
said Maine has taken the best aspects from medical marijuana
dispensaries that have been successful in other states.

"Maine is well on its way to doing this right," she said.