MEDICAL MARIJUANA DISPENSARY TO OPEN IN BIDDEFORD

BIDDEFORD - A non-profit organization planning to open a medical
marijuana dispensary in Biddeford was approved by the Maine Department
of Health and Human Services.

On Tuesday, DHHS announced that Safe Harbor Maine, Inc., of Poland,
was one of two winning applicants to be allowed to operate
dispensaries in two of the states' eight public health districts.

Currently, there is a moratorium on medical marijuana dispensaries in
Biddeford, which is scheduled to expire Sept. 12. Tonight the Planning
Board will hold a public hearing on zoning changes to allow a
dispensary in the city.

Safe Harbor, which plans to operate out of a currently vacant building
near Southern Maine Medical Center at 460 Alfred St., was approved to
operate the District 1 dispensary in York County.

Primary Organic Therapy Inc. of Whitneyville, will serve District 7,
which consists of Washington and Hancock counties. Operators of
dispensaries in the other districts were selected previously.

One of Safe Harbor's board members, Glenn Peterson, said his group had
applied to operate a dispensary in District 3 in the last round. When
that application was denied, they tried again.

In the previous round, none of the applicants for districts 1 and 7,
which were graded on items like experience, staffing and education,
scored high enough, said DHHS spokesman John Martin.

This time around, he said, "The quality of applications was much
higher."

Peterson has experience with medical marijuana; he is currently a
caregiver who provides marijuana for two patients.

He said he and his wife "banded together with friends and neighbors in
our area to put in an application. We though we had the necessary skill
set."

In addition to Peterson and his wife, other members of the Safe Harbor
board, said Peterson, include a medical doctor, a doctor of biology,
the head of a disabilities rights organization and one of Peterson's
current patients.

It has been legal to use marijuana in Maine for medical purposes for
more than a decade. Previously, only designated caregivers and the
patients themselves could grow the herb for medical use.

Earlier this year, the Legislature approved allowing dispensaries,
selected by the state, to also grow and sell marijuana for medical
use.

According to the law, patients with a qualifying condition, such as
glaucoma, cancer or chronic pain, must register with DHHS. Written
certification from a physician regarding their condition and stating
that the patient is likely to benefit from the use of marijuana, as
well as an annual fee, are required for registration.

Patients will receive a registry ID and can either grow their own
marijuana or obtain it from a designated caregiver or dispensary.

Registered patients may possess 2.5 ounces of marijuana.

Tonight, the Planning Board will hold a public hearing on a zoning
amendment on whether to allow medical marijuana dispensaries in the
medical zone and/or in several business and industrial zones.

The council must also weigh in on the amendment and is scheduled to
take it up on Sept. 7, said City Manager John Bubier.

If his group receives all the necessary approvals, Peterson hopes to
open the dispensary by Jan. 1.