Philly councilman wants city to set rules for medicial marijuana industry

With medical marijuana coming to Pennsylvania in 2018, a Philadelphia councilman is working on legislation governing growing operations and dispensaries.

Creating the regulations necessary for marijuana dispensaries and growing facilities is key to making sure Philadelphia can be ready to open up the businesses, said Councilman Derek Green.

“Philadelphia, being the largest city in the commonwealth, we need to focus on how it’s going to impact the city,” he said Thursday.

Green said he wants to regulate where the medical marijuana industry can be located to keep facilities away from schools and houses of worship.

“Generally, we’re looking for the growers, the processors to be located in industrial locations, and the dispensaries in commercial locations,” Green said. “However, there are certain restriction on how far they can be from protected uses.  Protected uses are churches, schools, public parks.”

Green did not say when zoning guidelines may be ready, saying it depends on forthcoming state regulations.