Saugus cops not for pot

SAUGUS – Saugus Police Chief Domenic DiMella said the new medical marijuana law overwhelmingly passed during Tuesday night?s election “sends the wrong message.”?I think some parts of the law aren?t really clear. It appears that some people will be able to grow marijuana in their home and anyone over the age of 21, even those with felony convictions, would be able to grow marijuana,” said DiMella. “I don?t know where they?d be restricted to, but if they?re in residential neighborhoods, to me it just sends the wrong message. It could be a problem.”According to the law, which passed with 63 percent of the vote, a patient must have been diagnosed with a “debilitating medical condition” such as “cancer, glaucoma, HIV-positive status or AIDS, hepatitis C, Crohn?s disease, Parkinson?s disease, ALS, or multiple sclerosis.”The patient would also have to obtain a written certification, from a physician “with whom the patient has a bona fide physician-patient relationship,” that the patient has a specific debilitating medical condition and would likely obtain a “net benefit from medical use of marijuana.”DiMella said he?s concerned about marijuana dispensaries popping up similar to the ones in California. And with marijuana recently decriminalized in Massachusetts for under an ounce, DiMella said the new law will only make it easier to get for kids.?A doctor can prescribe medical marijuana for pretty much anything – anxiety, pain, insomnia, headaches – it just seems it could be pretty widespread,” said DiMella. “I don?t think there?s any age limit or parental consent to get medical marijuana cards.”After a recent rash of overdoses affected the area, a pair of volunteer groups popped up to try and combat the drug problem many Saugus residents face.But while DiMella said marijuana can be a gateway drug that can lead to stronger drugs, he noted the heroin problem in the area is not just happening in Saugus, but in “every city and town in the North Shore.”?It?s a societal problem, not a Saugus problem,” said DiMella. “Until we get the proper balance of education, enforcement and treatment, we?re going to have these issues not just in Saugus but everywhere. I don?t know if (the law) is going to make it worse, I just think it?s going to be an issue where people will have easier access to marijuana and it sends the wrong message. We?ll go through the law and train our officers in the law and we?ll abide by the law, but I?m not in favor of it.”Matt Tempesta can be reached at [email protected].