A company that won the right to open a dispensary in Boston allegedly misled a city official and submitted false information about local support in its application to the state.
Good Chemistry of Massachusetts – which applied for dispensary licenses in three cities – claimed to have the support of the local city councilor and state legislators for its Boston location.
But Boston City Councilor Stephen J. Murphy told The Boston Globe that he felt manipulated into writing a letter on behalf of the company by its consultant, Paul Pezzella. He said Pezzella didn’t tell him that the MMJ center would be located in an area of the city that he wants to keep dispensary-free.
Other state officials said they never expressed support for the company’s planned dispensary in Boston or met with its executives, despite claims to the contrary in the application.
The company’s chief operating officer told the Globe that it was an honest mistake, saying executives accidentally put the names of officials who support its dispensary in Worcester in the application for its Boston dispensary. The company, which ultimately won the right to open a dispensary in both Worcester and Boston, also acknowledged to the Globe that several other claims on its application were misleading or false, saying the mistakes were inadvertent.
The state’s health department issued a statement saying that it will take action if any applicant is found to have provided false information, though it did not address this situation specifically. Good Chemistry said it is attempting to engage the health department “so they are clear” on what the company’s intent was in the application.
Questions have been raised about other companies that won dispensary licenses in Massachusetts and the overall process in general, with some accusing the state of giving preferential treatment to applicants with deep political connections and personal relationships with state officials.
