When it comes to arguments about safety and community safety and the ethics of legalized drugs, sometimes it’s hard to immediately dismiss the financial advantages. Massachusetts legalized adult-use cannabis in November 2018, and since then the state has collected $3.9 billion in total gross sales. Between January 1 and December 18, 2022, the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission reported the sale of 1.42 billion dollars’ worth of cannabis and cannabis-related accessories. If we compare this to the other two members in this unholy trinity of legal substances in this country, alcohol and tobacco, cannabis is here to stay.
What happens when free enterprise clashes with concerned community activists determined to keep their community free from cannabis dispensaries? This is among the questions that will be considered during a Wednesday, Apr 26, 2023 zoom meeting coordinated by Chulan Huang Chinatown, Downtown, Leather District and Theatre District Liaison Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Services (617) 635-3891 | chulan.huang@boston.gov.
Sampan spoke with local community activist Nancy Lo regarding her concerns about the dispensary potentially coming to Chinatown and her hopes for the April 26 virtual meeting. What follows are her emailed responses to our questions:
SAMPAN: Have you been able to connect with city officials re traffic, crime, and quality of life problems?
LO: “Chinatown Activists including myself have expressed concerns to city officials including Mayor Wu, ONS Chinatown Liaison ,Chulan Huang, Chief of Streets (including at the forum sponsored by AACA), Chief of Staff Tiffany Chu Council President Flynn, BPD Captain Martin and others, about these issues. Chinatown continues to be impacted negatively from customers of businesses located in other neighboring communities, such as the homeless from St. Francis House and Kingston Shelter, the adult entertainment venues of Centerfold and Glass Slipper, commuter traffic from downtown and Back Bay, traffic and rowdy patrons from the theater district and nightclubs. Chinatown does not need another venue that will introduce a gateway drug to our young and vulnerable population.”
SAMPAN: Is there a strong alliance amongst business leaders in Chinatown against this proposed new establishment? What are you hearing from them about the fight against Dragon Bud?
LO: “Yes, there is a strong alliance. CCBA recently took a vote last Thursday against this application. Business leaders and owners are family oriented people and they are also concerned about Chinatown’s future and the negative impact this type of business will have in the community.”
SAMPAN: What’s your next move if this petition does not work? Are you and others prepared to go the distance in order to maintain the family-oriented essence of Chinatown? What do you hope zoning officials and other city leaders could understand about the urgency of this issue?
LO: “The petition is a community effort to let our officials know that there is strong opposition to this application. We will have stated our position at every level of the licensing process including at the abutters meeting, the Boston Cannabis Board, the Zoning Board of Appeals and at the state Cannabis Control Commission. The applicant and the licensing officials cannot ignore the fact that this application is in violation of the state statute that clearly states the location cannot be within 500 ft. of a pre-existing school. ASC is located next door at 65 Harrison Avenue and provides education to children from k -12 grades. Even the Boston Zoning Board of Appeals cannot issue a variance. It is a forbidden use. Our officials need to recognize whether the citing of a cannabis business is appropriate for the location to which they plan to locate. Chinatown does not have a cannabis culture like in other communities. The customers will come from other communities and Chinatown will suffer from the negative impact from this business, such as secondary smoke, traffic, litter, and crime. Chinatown is the densest community in Boston and has the highest asthma rate in the city. These types of businesses will not police their customers after the sale is over and the customers will go outside to the streets and parks of Chinatown to light up and smoke their joints. The applicant should go to a community that wants their business.”
Richard K. Chang, Esq., Head of School at Josiah Quincy Upper School, added: “The Quincy Upper community is firmly in opposition to Dragon Buds and any other potential marijuana shops. We will oppose these projects at every stage of their development.”
