Wareham Pot Shop Customers Required To Use Shuttle From Water Wizz
WAREHAM (CBS) – A dispensary in Wareham is set to begin recreational sales of marijuana and the town has a plan to keep things calm.
"We're in a tight spot, narrow streets, a village setting and so it was paramount in the thinking of town officials and especially our chief and lieutenants to try to manage this well," said Wareham Selectman Peter Teitelbaum.
Verilife has been operating as a medical marijuana facility on Main Street since May with no problems. But if the opening of the first recreational marijuana store in Leicester serves as a lesson, crowds in Wareham will not work.
The town will use the Water Wizz parking lot on Route 28 to prevent traffic problems.
"There will be shuttle bus service from that location to this location," said Wareham Police Lt. John Gerard outside Verilife Friday. "You will not be allowed to get into the venue without going through Water Wizz."
Customers will not be allowed to walk up to the facility or even be dropped off because you will need a ticket to get inside. The tickets will only be available at the Water Wizz parking lot with the free shuttle service.
"As this becomes more of an errand for people and becomes more normalized in the state of Massachusetts, we're not going to have the people management problem that we will have in the beginning," said Shelley Stormo of Verilife.
Right next door to the dispensary is Tobey Hospital. They have hired extra security to keep the parking lot clear.
"We feel like this is the best plan and the safest plan for the town of Wareham," said Police Chief John Walcek.
Verilife plans to begin sales soon and will become the fourth marijuana store to open in the state.
Cultivate in Leicester and New England Treatment Access in Northampton started selling recreational marijuana last month and have totaled more than $7 million in sales so far. Salem's Alternative Group Therapies is opening its doors on Saturday.
