Challenges In Legalizing Medical Marijuana

It's still early in the state's effort to license legal medical marijuana dispensaries, but it's been a bumpy start.

No sooner had the state Department of Public Health granted 20 dispensary licenses than charges of conflict of interest came up. At the same time, we learned from the Boston Globe that at least three applicants claimed to have support from local politicians — support that the local politicians denied giving.

So where does this leave the state's effort to legalize medical pot? Do these early bumps in the road bode poorly for the future of medical marijuana in this state or is this just growing pains that are to be expected?

Karen Van Unen, executive director of the Medical Use of Marijuana Program for the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.

Martha Bebinger, WBUR health reporter.