According to a release from cannabis company Citiva Medical, the borough of Brooklyn in New York City will open its first medical cannabis dispensary by the end of this year. The firm is among the top ten medicinal cannabis suppliers licensed by the state of New York.
According to the director of marketing and communications at Citiva Medical, Amy Holdener, the company is prepared to launch its new dispensary.
Holdener said that they are excited to be a part of the Brooklyn community. Patients in Brooklyn don’t have easy access to medical marijuana items and some travel to other states to receive their medication. She also said that they can’t wait to open as fast as possible to serve the needs of the community.
The building of the facility is almost done and the dispensary is expected to open within the next two to three months. The infrastructure will be across the street from Barclays Center which is home to the NBA’s Brooklyn Nets and the New York Islanders of the NHL.
The dispensary will be located in the center of Brooklyn, and Citiva Medical wants to associate with the local community to share data concerning the medicinal benefits of cannabis before the dispensary is launched.
Holdener wants both medical patients and non-medical patients to visit the dispensary. She also wants anybody who wants to learn about cannabis, the history of the drug, and the safety and efficacy of these products to visit the dispensary. She added that the dispensary in Brooklyn will be different from any other dispensary in New York and they have a professional team of product specialists and pharmacists along with a welcoming and beautiful environment.
Plan Revealed in 2017
In August 2017, the plans for the new dispensary were revealed when the state health department declared that five suppliers will be included in the New York medical marijuana program.
When the declaration was made, Fiorello Pharmaceutics first launched in Manhattan and PalliaTech launched a Curaleaf brand dispensary in Queens. NYCanna has also been permitted to operate in Queens.
Dr. Howard Zucker who is New York State Health Commissioner said at the time that increases access to medical marijuana would be beneficial to patients.
Zucker said that the inclusion of these registered companies will make patients to easily obtain medical marijuana across the state. Furthermore, it will enhance the affordability of medical marijuana items because of competition, and increase the different types of medical cannabis products accessible to patients.
The inclusion of the new licensees increased the overall medicinal cannabis providers in New York to 10. When the organizations construct the four medical marijuana dispensaries as expected, the Empire State will have a total of 40 cannabis dispensaries.
Medical Marijuana in New York
In 2014, the New York medical marijuana program was established and went into operation the following year. At first only patients with 12 critical medical conditions or chronic pain could be recommended by a physician to utilize medical marijuana. Patients can only access cannabis-infused products– patients aren’t allowed to smoke.
In July 2018, emergency rules were issued by the health department that permitted patients with an opioid prescription to use medical marijuana
