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Friday, June 22, 2018
Wellness Connection co-founder speaks of company’s success Mayor, City Council agree on medicinal purpose of marijuana By Christopher Roberson
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fter operating in the medical marijuana industry for the past seven years, the Wellness Connection selected 0 Newbury St. as the location for its newest dispensary. Co-founder Jacques Santucci said the Wellness Connection currently has four dispensaries in Maine and employs more than 75 people. “Wellness Connection of Maine has been a success story on the East Coast,” he said. “My role is to make sure it’s a huge success.” Unlike the business models used by medical marijuana companies on the West Coast, Santucci said, the Wellness Connection incorporated a “layer of compliance” while still listening to residents, elected officials and law enforcement. “It’s been very important to see how every state is treating this new industry,” he said. Santucci said the Wellness Connection of Massachu-
Jacques Santucci setts was established to be “a springboard” for the company, starting with Peabody. “There’s a residential population there and a mix of businesses,” he said, adding that the company was looking for a location that would provide patients with “safe and easy access.” Santucci also spoke about
the value of having prior experience. “It has to make a difference,” he said. “You have to rely on people who have been doing it.” Regarding on-site security, Santucci said the dispensary would be very similar to a bank. He said every employee must go through a screening process and can only en-
Northshore Relay for Life raises $44K for cancer research
ter the building using a swipe card. Patients do not have swipe cards and must be buzzed in. “It’s not like a Starbucks where you go in and out,” said Santucci. After being buzzed in, patients proceed to a precheck-in area where their credentials are reviewed and verified. Santucci also said the product itself is prepackaged and completely sterile when the patient receives it. In addition, Santucci said the Wellness Connection partnered with the Wellness Center for Research and Education to develop a Good Neighbor Policy, which provides educational literature about the benefits of alternative healthcare. The Wellness Connection is one of two medical marijuana companies looking to open dispensaries on Route 1. The other company, Phytotherapy, which is run by the applicant, Anthony Athanas, has not agreed to an interview by press time.
WELLNESS | SEE PAGE 4
City Council passes city and school budgets totaling $171.2M By Christopher Roberson
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Shown at the Northshore Relay for Life at Peabody Veterans Memorial High School on June 15, from left to right, are Julia Bettencourt, Adam Lothrop and Simon Vinci of the Fenway Fights Back. The event raised $44,090 for cancer research. See more photo highlights on page 6. (Advocate Photo by Christopher Roberson)
Medical marijuana in Peabody Saslaw said there are four parcels of land that were zoned for medical marijuana dispensaries. Three of those parcels were claimed by Phytotherapy, the Wellness Connection and Sanctuary Medicinals. However, Sanctuary Medicinals withdrew its application to pursue a location in Danvers. He also said that in addition to medical marijuana bolstering the city’s revenue, the City Council and Mayor Edward Bettencourt believe in the “medicinal purpose of marijuana,” hence the reason for allowing it in the city. Regarding background checks, Saslaw said at the meeting that process is conducted on the state level. “That’s basically where the vetting is being done,” he said. Saslaw also said prior industry experience should not dictate the approval or denial of a medical marijuana applica-
he City Council recently voted, 9-2, to approve the city’s total budget of $171.2 million for fiscal year 2019. Within that figure, the council voted unanimously to pass the school budget, which totaled $73.7 million. During the June 19 meeting, Interim Superintendent of Schools Dr. Herbert Levine said 25 percent of the school budget is earmarked for special education. “That is a typical average in the state of Massachusetts,” he said. Levine said the district has saved more than $1 million during the past five years by keeping more students in the Peabody Public Schools. He said that during that five-year period, the number of out-ofdistrict placements fell from 110 to 93. Mayor Edward Bettencourt
said that although $1.8 million was added to the school budget, “that money was quickly gobbled up by salary increases, health insurance, special education and a number of other things.” However, with $425,000 being transferred from the city budget to the school budget, Bettencourt said, the School Committee was able to restore two professional development days and reduce the $500,000 cut in the supply/maintenance line item. Levine said he was able to assist in that effort by pulling $200,000 from the salary line item. He said that was possible as the number of teachers leaving the district was greater than the number of teachers coming in. Levine also said Maria Ferry was hired back on a part-time basis as a retired vocational education director.
COUNCIL | SEE PAGE 8