A doctor with local roots says the medical marijuana planned for Rochester will be nothing like ones seen in other states such as Colorado.
"It will be very clinical, like a sub-specialty medical office, said Dr. Kyle Kingsley, CEO of Minnesota Medical Solutions. Kingsley grew up in the Harmony area and many of the investors in his firm are from southeastern Minnesota.
The state of Minnesota named Kingsley's company and one other as the first firms to be licensed to grow and dispense medical marijuana. MinnMed will grow and process the plants in a facility near Otsego, Minn. That facility, which has been under construction since summer, is expected to be completed this month, he said.
If everything goes as planned, a Rochester office with a pharmacist, two pharmacy technicians and a security guard is expected to begin dispensing liquid-based cannabis on July 1.
Patients will need to be certified by their doctor as having a qualifying condition before receiving the cannabis. MinnMed staffers will meet with each patient to determine the proper dosage.
"The majority of what we'll dispense won't be intoxicating. It will depend on the patient. We'll be very precise. That's something we're very good at," Kingsley said.
Unlike other states where medical cannabis is dispensed in plant form, Minnesota requires that it be distributed in a regulated liquid form to be orally ingested or vaporized.
"I'm completely mortified by the thought of some elderly individual with cancer out in Colorado waiting in a rope line to talk to some 22-year-old 'budtender,'" said Kingsley. "That's just not what we're going for. This will be a clinical office."
Kingsley and his team have already met with Rochester city and law enforcement officials about finding the best place for the dispensary. He said they were very receptive and helpful.
They expect to need 2,000- to 4,000-square-feet of space for the Rochester facility, though no specific location has been lined up yet.
"We are looking at several possible sites. We'll take our time to find the best possible solution," he said.
Security is a top concern, and his company has a former Secret Service agent in charge of that aspect of the business.
Being chosen as one of Minnesota's first medical cannabis providers blends the Harmony native's three major interests – medicine, horticulture and business.
"There's not a better fit than medical cannabis. This is a remarkable opportunity," Kingsley said.
News Moderator: Shandar @ 420 MAGAZINE ®
Source: PostBulletin.com: Rochester, MN's leading news source.
Author: Jeff Kiger
Contact: Contact Us - PostBulletin.com: Site
Website: Homegrown doctor to bring clinical cannabis to Minnesota - PostBulletin.com: Local
"It will be very clinical, like a sub-specialty medical office, said Dr. Kyle Kingsley, CEO of Minnesota Medical Solutions. Kingsley grew up in the Harmony area and many of the investors in his firm are from southeastern Minnesota.
The state of Minnesota named Kingsley's company and one other as the first firms to be licensed to grow and dispense medical marijuana. MinnMed will grow and process the plants in a facility near Otsego, Minn. That facility, which has been under construction since summer, is expected to be completed this month, he said.
If everything goes as planned, a Rochester office with a pharmacist, two pharmacy technicians and a security guard is expected to begin dispensing liquid-based cannabis on July 1.
Patients will need to be certified by their doctor as having a qualifying condition before receiving the cannabis. MinnMed staffers will meet with each patient to determine the proper dosage.
"The majority of what we'll dispense won't be intoxicating. It will depend on the patient. We'll be very precise. That's something we're very good at," Kingsley said.
Unlike other states where medical cannabis is dispensed in plant form, Minnesota requires that it be distributed in a regulated liquid form to be orally ingested or vaporized.
"I'm completely mortified by the thought of some elderly individual with cancer out in Colorado waiting in a rope line to talk to some 22-year-old 'budtender,'" said Kingsley. "That's just not what we're going for. This will be a clinical office."
Kingsley and his team have already met with Rochester city and law enforcement officials about finding the best place for the dispensary. He said they were very receptive and helpful.
They expect to need 2,000- to 4,000-square-feet of space for the Rochester facility, though no specific location has been lined up yet.
"We are looking at several possible sites. We'll take our time to find the best possible solution," he said.
Security is a top concern, and his company has a former Secret Service agent in charge of that aspect of the business.
Being chosen as one of Minnesota's first medical cannabis providers blends the Harmony native's three major interests – medicine, horticulture and business.
"There's not a better fit than medical cannabis. This is a remarkable opportunity," Kingsley said.
News Moderator: Shandar @ 420 MAGAZINE ®
Source: PostBulletin.com: Rochester, MN's leading news source.
Author: Jeff Kiger
Contact: Contact Us - PostBulletin.com: Site
Website: Homegrown doctor to bring clinical cannabis to Minnesota - PostBulletin.com: Local
