Massachusetts Says Yes to Sale of Marijuana for Medical Use After It Approves Dispensary Permit

Massachusetts has become the first state to allow cultivation and sale of marijuana in US.

According to CBS Local, the Massachusetts Public Health Department issued permits to Alternative Therapies Group Inc. to cultivate and sell marijuana through a dispensary in Salem. A site in Amesbury will be used for cultivation.

The approval comes nearly two years after residents voted to allow setting up 35 dispensaries to sell marijuana for treating terminal cancers, HIV and other diseases that require pain management. Nearly 100 applicants are known to have applied for dispensary permits. The delay in the state giving nod has been attributed to concerns raised earlier over verification process for giving licenses.

Before Alternative Therapies can start transportation or sale of marijuana, it has to undergo additional reviews and checks on its transport mechanisms. Though approval has been given, sale will not begin until three months, time required for seeds to grow.

Diabetes Insider quoted Nichole Snow, deputy director of Massachusetts Patient Advocacy Alliance welcoming the move. Snow described the state's move as an 'exciting step' as it would offer safe access to those who need it. Snow advocated sale of marijuana as she suffers from muscle spasms and pain due to a car accident. She hopes the move would benefit others like her.