Jacob Redmond
Well-Known Member
When it comes to medical marijuana dispensaries planned for New Hampshire, concern seems to center not so much on where and how many, but accessibility.
After approving the use of the alternative medicine in 2013, state officials at the N.H. Department of Health and Human Services said they will allow three companies to run four dispensaries in the state.
Temescall Wellness, a Manchester-based company, will serve residents in Cheshire and Sullivan counties.
However, its owners are hoping to locate the dispensary in Lebanon, a little more than an hour from Keene and other nearby towns.
The proposed site would be in the Hanover Road Professional Center business park off of Route 120. According to Ted Rebeholz, owner of the alternative medicinal business, the location fits all the criteria they desired.
"The single most important criteria for us is that it's (the location) convenient and accessible to as many patients as possible," he said.
The spot is off of two main freeways, with easy access to other major roadways in the area.
Additionally, Peterborough is now being considered for a cultivation facility to provide medicinal marijuana for a planned dispensary in Merrimack, which will serve residents in Merrimack and Hillsborough counties. Merrimack is a little more than a half hour from Peterborough and a little more than an hour from Keene.
The two other geographic zones where dispensaries will be located will comprise three counties each. Area 1 includes Belknap, Strafford and Rockingham counties; Area 2 includes Grafton, Carroll and Coos counties.
The exact location of those dispensaries, however, remains undecided. Company site proposals are due by the end of the month.
None of the four state dispensaries will open until 2016, according to the state department's website.
The number of New Hampshire dispensaries is low compared to other states in New England, according to Matt Simon, New England political director and legislative analyst for Marijuana Policy Project.
By comparison, Maine state law allows eight and Massachusetts allows for more than 30.
"By separating the state into these four zones, somebody is going to be have a long drive," Simon said, referring to the New Hampshire scenario.
The Washington, D.C.-based organization that he works for focuses on ending marijuana prohibition in the United States. In his role, Simon has been lobbying and organizing support for medical marijuana since 2007.
While Rhode Island and Vermont allow for three and four dispensaries, respectively, patients or their caregivers are able to grow plants if it proves to be easier for them.
Simon said he also hopes that the state will allow patients to grow their own plants in their homes in the future. It's a potential solution to the distance problem as well, he said.
Patients are able to use the services of the dispensaries if they have one of the qualified medical conditions. That includes chemotherapy treatment, or those who have been diagnosed with lupus, epilepsy, Parkinson's disease or Alzheimer's.
Qualified candidates must also be 21 years of age or older. They can get up to two ounces every 10 days based on the law, according to Rebeholz.
The dosage amount used is "very dependent on the patient's individual situation" and would be decided after consulting with his or her doctor, Rebeholz added.
There's no way to say how long this amount, which almost fills a plastic sandwich bag, based on pictures posted on New York Magazine's website, would last for the average patient, he explained.
If patients are unable to make the drive to get the marijuana, however, the law does state that caregivers, who must also be at least 21, are able to pick up the medication for them, according to Rebeholz.
State law does not allow the dispensaries to provide delivery services, Rebeholz said. State law does not allow dispensaries to open satellite locations either, though Rebeholz said if the law were to change, he would take advantage of that opportunity.
Otherwise, "We're going to be in full, strict compliance of the law," he said.
News Moderator: Jacob Redmond 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Medical marijuana dispensaries: Is four enough in NH? - SentinelSource.com: The Keene Sentinel Local News
Author: Melissa Proulx
Contact: mproulx@keenesentinel.com
Photo Credit: LiPo Ching/Bay Area News Group
Website: SentinelSource.com: Local Matters | News in Keene NH
After approving the use of the alternative medicine in 2013, state officials at the N.H. Department of Health and Human Services said they will allow three companies to run four dispensaries in the state.
Temescall Wellness, a Manchester-based company, will serve residents in Cheshire and Sullivan counties.
However, its owners are hoping to locate the dispensary in Lebanon, a little more than an hour from Keene and other nearby towns.
The proposed site would be in the Hanover Road Professional Center business park off of Route 120. According to Ted Rebeholz, owner of the alternative medicinal business, the location fits all the criteria they desired.
"The single most important criteria for us is that it's (the location) convenient and accessible to as many patients as possible," he said.
The spot is off of two main freeways, with easy access to other major roadways in the area.
Additionally, Peterborough is now being considered for a cultivation facility to provide medicinal marijuana for a planned dispensary in Merrimack, which will serve residents in Merrimack and Hillsborough counties. Merrimack is a little more than a half hour from Peterborough and a little more than an hour from Keene.
The two other geographic zones where dispensaries will be located will comprise three counties each. Area 1 includes Belknap, Strafford and Rockingham counties; Area 2 includes Grafton, Carroll and Coos counties.
The exact location of those dispensaries, however, remains undecided. Company site proposals are due by the end of the month.
None of the four state dispensaries will open until 2016, according to the state department's website.
The number of New Hampshire dispensaries is low compared to other states in New England, according to Matt Simon, New England political director and legislative analyst for Marijuana Policy Project.
By comparison, Maine state law allows eight and Massachusetts allows for more than 30.
"By separating the state into these four zones, somebody is going to be have a long drive," Simon said, referring to the New Hampshire scenario.
The Washington, D.C.-based organization that he works for focuses on ending marijuana prohibition in the United States. In his role, Simon has been lobbying and organizing support for medical marijuana since 2007.
While Rhode Island and Vermont allow for three and four dispensaries, respectively, patients or their caregivers are able to grow plants if it proves to be easier for them.
Simon said he also hopes that the state will allow patients to grow their own plants in their homes in the future. It's a potential solution to the distance problem as well, he said.
Patients are able to use the services of the dispensaries if they have one of the qualified medical conditions. That includes chemotherapy treatment, or those who have been diagnosed with lupus, epilepsy, Parkinson's disease or Alzheimer's.
Qualified candidates must also be 21 years of age or older. They can get up to two ounces every 10 days based on the law, according to Rebeholz.
The dosage amount used is "very dependent on the patient's individual situation" and would be decided after consulting with his or her doctor, Rebeholz added.
There's no way to say how long this amount, which almost fills a plastic sandwich bag, based on pictures posted on New York Magazine's website, would last for the average patient, he explained.
If patients are unable to make the drive to get the marijuana, however, the law does state that caregivers, who must also be at least 21, are able to pick up the medication for them, according to Rebeholz.
State law does not allow the dispensaries to provide delivery services, Rebeholz said. State law does not allow dispensaries to open satellite locations either, though Rebeholz said if the law were to change, he would take advantage of that opportunity.
Otherwise, "We're going to be in full, strict compliance of the law," he said.
News Moderator: Jacob Redmond 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Medical marijuana dispensaries: Is four enough in NH? - SentinelSource.com: The Keene Sentinel Local News
Author: Melissa Proulx
Contact: mproulx@keenesentinel.com
Photo Credit: LiPo Ching/Bay Area News Group
Website: SentinelSource.com: Local Matters | News in Keene NH
