The General
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Memorial Day weekend in 2013 was a historic moment for Greenleaf Compassionate Care Center as it became the second dispensary in Rhode Island allowed to sell medical marijuana to the state's growing patient base. Now, Dr. Seth Bock and his low-key operation on Aquidneck Island are about to embark on another venture. Last week, the state Department of Health gave Greenleaf the OK to make home deliveries of marijuana to registered patients across Rhode Island.
The dispensary, also known as a compassion center, will be the first in the state to make drop-offs to homebound patients who are registered with the facility at 1637 West Main Rd. Greeleaf has experienced a patient boom since it opened. Bock had hoped to have 500 registered customers within the first year and a half. Instead, 1,700 patients have registered with his dispensary and about 1,000 of them are regular visitors.
He estimated that about 5 percent of his customers, or about 100 patients, would be eligible for the delivery service, which he hopes to have running in four to six weeks. "But for these patients, it's a pretty big deal," Bock said. According to the health department, there are restrictions on home deliveries. Each patient must have an active, state-issued medical marijuana card, and Greenleaf must be their designated dispensary. Also, the patients must be homebound with a chronic or debilitating condition that has restricted their ability to move around.
A physician must provide a note to Greenleaf stating that the patient is unable to travel to the dispensary to pick up medical marijuana. Many of such customers, Bock said, are elderly or use wheelchairs. Bock said that the delivery service will be discreet and that the drivers will have experience in the security industry. He said that they are in the process of interviewing candidates and hiring two drivers.
Don't look for a flashy Greenleaf logo on the delivery vehicles. Bock said that there will be no advertising. He said that his business grows about 20 percent to 30 percent of its marijuana. The rest is bought from caregivers who have excess amounts of the drug. He said the product is tested to make sure that there are no pesticides or foreign substances on the cannabis.
Greenleaf also has a kitchen that produces marijuana edibles. Bock is selling Home Medication Lock Boxes for patients to keep the medical marijuana and edibles away from children. The boxes are equipped with combination locks and cost $20. These have been heady times for the medical marijuana industry in Rhode Island. As of Monday, there are 9,668 registered patients in state compared with 6,720 patients last December. The introduction of Greenleaf and the Thomas C. Slater Compassion Center in Providence has stagnated the number of licensed caregivers, or providers of marijuana to patients. Now, there are 3,513 caregivers; the figure is unchanged from last December.
The health department released figures on Monday showing that Slater has 4,781 registered patients, while Greenleaf has 1,647. Each patient is allowed to register with two dispensaries or caregivers. The Slater dispensary had no immediate plans for home delivery. Under state law, no more than three dispensaries are permitted in Rhode Island. This month, Summit Medical Compassion Center in Warwick is scheduled to open. The center is owned by Cuttino Mobley, a former star basketball player at the University of Rhode Island who went on to the NBA. Mobley also owns medical marijuana dispensaries in Maine. Summit also plans to explore the possibility of making home deliveries. It is not allowed to apply for permission to provide the service until it is operating as a dispensary on Jefferson Boulevard.
News Moderator - The General @ 420 MAGAZINE ®
Source: Providencejournal.com
Author: Bill Malinowski
Contact: Contact Us
Website: Greenleaf gets OK to deliver medical marijuana to patients? homes/ Poll | News - Rhode Island news right now | Providence Journal
The dispensary, also known as a compassion center, will be the first in the state to make drop-offs to homebound patients who are registered with the facility at 1637 West Main Rd. Greeleaf has experienced a patient boom since it opened. Bock had hoped to have 500 registered customers within the first year and a half. Instead, 1,700 patients have registered with his dispensary and about 1,000 of them are regular visitors.
He estimated that about 5 percent of his customers, or about 100 patients, would be eligible for the delivery service, which he hopes to have running in four to six weeks. "But for these patients, it's a pretty big deal," Bock said. According to the health department, there are restrictions on home deliveries. Each patient must have an active, state-issued medical marijuana card, and Greenleaf must be their designated dispensary. Also, the patients must be homebound with a chronic or debilitating condition that has restricted their ability to move around.
A physician must provide a note to Greenleaf stating that the patient is unable to travel to the dispensary to pick up medical marijuana. Many of such customers, Bock said, are elderly or use wheelchairs. Bock said that the delivery service will be discreet and that the drivers will have experience in the security industry. He said that they are in the process of interviewing candidates and hiring two drivers.
Don't look for a flashy Greenleaf logo on the delivery vehicles. Bock said that there will be no advertising. He said that his business grows about 20 percent to 30 percent of its marijuana. The rest is bought from caregivers who have excess amounts of the drug. He said the product is tested to make sure that there are no pesticides or foreign substances on the cannabis.
Greenleaf also has a kitchen that produces marijuana edibles. Bock is selling Home Medication Lock Boxes for patients to keep the medical marijuana and edibles away from children. The boxes are equipped with combination locks and cost $20. These have been heady times for the medical marijuana industry in Rhode Island. As of Monday, there are 9,668 registered patients in state compared with 6,720 patients last December. The introduction of Greenleaf and the Thomas C. Slater Compassion Center in Providence has stagnated the number of licensed caregivers, or providers of marijuana to patients. Now, there are 3,513 caregivers; the figure is unchanged from last December.
The health department released figures on Monday showing that Slater has 4,781 registered patients, while Greenleaf has 1,647. Each patient is allowed to register with two dispensaries or caregivers. The Slater dispensary had no immediate plans for home delivery. Under state law, no more than three dispensaries are permitted in Rhode Island. This month, Summit Medical Compassion Center in Warwick is scheduled to open. The center is owned by Cuttino Mobley, a former star basketball player at the University of Rhode Island who went on to the NBA. Mobley also owns medical marijuana dispensaries in Maine. Summit also plans to explore the possibility of making home deliveries. It is not allowed to apply for permission to provide the service until it is operating as a dispensary on Jefferson Boulevard.
News Moderator - The General @ 420 MAGAZINE ®
Source: Providencejournal.com
Author: Bill Malinowski
Contact: Contact Us
Website: Greenleaf gets OK to deliver medical marijuana to patients? homes/ Poll | News - Rhode Island news right now | Providence Journal
