Brookline Man Looking to Open Medical Marijuana Treatment Facility

Andrew Gold is hoping to sell marijuana in Brookline. No, he isn’t a drug dealer hoping to get your kids hooked on weed. Gold is the CEO and founder of a non-profit organization tentatively known as The Brookline Patients Group.

“This isn’t about smoking pot,” Gold said. “This is about helping patients who are sick.”

Gold, 24, of Brookline worked in Hospice while studying math at Drew University. During his time with Hospice, he said he saw many people who could benefit from medical marijuana. “There were people with cancer, going through chemo, or they had Crohn’s Disease or Glaucoma. These are people who can benefit from medical marijuana use.”

His mission is to open up a holistic wellness center with acupuncture, yoga, a juice bar, and but also a medical treatment facility with on site licensed physicians from neurologists to internists and nutritionists just to name a few. The goal is that medical marijuana is just a part of the center not the end all be all of the center."

“This is hard to approach because no one has ever done this before,” Gold said. Gold said that he is in the application phase. Gold said that the State is allowing 35 licenses for dispensaries. This would provide at least one per county, but no more than five. The Health Department will supposedly release regulations on May 1,” Gold said.

Gold said that he wants to get a conversation going in the community to get a sense of how residents would feel about a dispensary in town. “I want to know what the community thinks about this idea,” Gold said.

“I would like to know their concerns about this medical facility. I can tell you that it wouldn’t have a big neon pot leaf above the door. you wouldn't be able to consume medicine on site. There wouldn’t be a back room with couches and (Jimi) Hendrix playing.”

Gold said he intends to speak with the local police and the Selectmen as well as any other concerned parties. “This facility obviously couldn’t be near a school or a park,” Gold said. Gold said that he would be making a website which people could voice their questions or concerns.

“This may be premature, but I want to give it a shot,” Gold said. “I want to give back. This is all about giving back to the community and helping patients.”

What do you think about a medical marijuana dispensary in Brookline? Use the comments section to voice your opinion.