Maine news, sports, weather | Kennebec Journal, Augusta, Maine

California -linked group to provide medical pot in area

By Susan M. Cover scover@mainetoday.com
MaineToday Media State House Writer

AUGUSTA -- The group awarded four of the six medical marijuana dispensary licenses statewide hasn't yet decided whether to locate in Augusta or Waterville-- a decision complicated by zoning, a planned new hospital and a proposed highway ramp.

Rebecca DeKeuster, executive director of Northeast Patients Group, said she'll work closely with city leaders and the state Department of Health and Human Services to choose a location.

They've identified 13 Water St. in Waterville -- an old Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant -- or 10 Middle Road, Augusta, a vacant building that's for sale, as the two possible locations.

"Augusta's zoning asks dispensaries to go into a medical zone, which is fairly limited," DeKeuster said. "We're not sure we can find one that meets the zoning requirements."

The proposed Augusta location is not far from the Harold Alfond Center for Cancer Care and the site of a proposed new hospital that would serve central Maine. The state is also seeking federal money to build a highway ramp to service the area.

DeKeuster said she'll have a better idea of which location will make the most sense after a meeting with DHHS later this month.

On Friday, the state announced that Northeast Patients Group had been granted permission to open four of six dispensaries statewide. The group had submitted applications for five dispensaries, but another nonprofit won the license for the district that covers Franklin, Oxford and Androscoggin counties.

In addition to DeKeuster, who has seven years experience working in a California dispensary, the board of directors for Northeast is made up of Cumberland County Sheriff Mark Dion; Winthrop resident Faith Benedetti, a member of the state's medical marijuana task force; and Paul Sevigny, a retired pharmacist from Holden.

Dion, whose term as sheriff ends in December, said he hopes to be a bridge between law enforcement and the dispensaries.

"They've asked me to provide insight and raise questions that would crop up from my colleagues," he said.

He will not take any pay as a board member, and said he sees his participation as no different than serving on any other board of directors for a nonprofit.

He said he was invited by Dan Walker -- a lawyer who has worked closely with medical marijuana advocates -- to serve on the board. He has been offered the opportunity to meet with law enforcement officials in California to talk about how Berkeley Patients Group, which is the model for Northeast Patients, has been run.

He hasn't taken them up on that offer, but said he's searched databases and the Internet to check out the group.

"It seems they do what they say they are going to do," he said.

Northeast Patients Group was founded by patients and advocates after the successful expansion of the state's medical marijuana law in 2009. Two directors from the Berkeley Patients Group, DeKeuster and Tim Schick, founded the Maine-based Northeast group, according to documents filed with the state.

The Berkeley group was formed in 1999 and offers other services for patients such as massage, acupuncture and counseling. It has donated more than $250,000 to other nonprofits in California, a practice the group plans to continue here, DeKeuster said.

The group expects to open its central Maine location in November. It anticipates $702,130 in revenue the first full year of operation and $1.5 million the second full year, according to its application on file with the state.

The average price of marijuana sold by the group will be $340 per ounce. State law allows certified patients to access up to 2.5 ounces every other week. Northeast plans to offer discounts to veterans and low-income patients.

Statewide, the group expects about 1,000 patients to register to use medical marijuana. In central Maine, the group expects to serve 175 registered patients within the first year.

When it comes to staffing, the dispensary is expected to employ three people at the end of the first year, with an average salary of $36,974.

The group plans to grow marijuana in Hermon and distribute the drug to all its dispensary locations. The "cultivation facility" will be a steel-walled warehouse protected by "an extensive array of security features," according to the application.

Tim Dysart of Dysarts Service in Bangor said his company has offered to rent some warehouse space to Northeast. And Sen. Joe Perry, D-Bangor, wrote a letter to DHHS in support of Northeast and its head of growing operations, Matt Hawes.

"I will attest to Matt's high integrity, passion and knowledge of medical marijuana cultivation techniques," Perry wrote. "Any business which is affiliated with Matt Hawes will be an asset to the community."

Augusta City Manager Bill Bridgeo said the City Council voted recently to restrict dispensaries to locating only in a designated medical zone. That zone currently exists around the cancer center, and may be expanded pending consideration of the Planning Board at a July 27 meeting.

The city of Waterville wrote a letter confirming that the 13 Water St. location is appropriate for a dispensary.

"If Northeast Patients Group is fortunate enough to be awarded the District 5 dispensary, we will work closely with NGP to permit the dispensary at 13 Water St. or in a location that will work best for the region's patients," wrote City Planner Ann Beverage.

Dion said while the Berkeley model helped form the concept for the Maine dispensaries, the board will tailor the Maine sites to meet local needs.

"We will be developing our own policy and procedures consistent with Maine expectations," he said.

 Susan Cover -- 620-7015

scover@centralmaine.com