The General
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Massachusetts - The names are poetic: Leaf and Flower, Nature's Prose and Mayflower Naturals; and they are soothing: Good Chemistry, The Greenery and Releaf Collective. The comfort-inspiring names could be among the first to be registered as marijuana dispensaries in Massachusetts under the law adopted last year. Applications for the second phase of the licensing process are due to the state Department of Public Health Nov. 21, and the DPH anticipates announcing the successful applicants Jan. 31.
However, who those applicants are and where they intend to locate their dispensaries are still somewhat of a mystery. While the fledgling medical marijuana industry has attracted many applicants – some of whom already have similar successful businesses in other states such as Colorado and Arizona, others are local entrepreneurs – they are holding tight to their plans, guarded when discussing their proposals. Some decline to discuss their proposals at all. Others have not returned phone calls and messages, making it unclear if they plan to progress beyond their Phase 1 approval, or if their focus has shifted.
The situation is fluid. Some applicants initially eyeing Worcester County for a dispensary or cultivation site have decided to focus elsewhere, while others who were once focused outside of Central Massachusetts have zeroed in on the region. "I have been instructed by my attorney to keep silent about it because of the nature of the Department of Public Health. This is a very serious matter for them and I would be happy to speak after the licensing process," said John P. Glowik Jr. Mr. Glowik's Phase 1 application indicated he was proposing a dispensary in Boston and a cultivation and preparation site in Grafton under the name Prime Wellness of MA Inc.
In its application to the state, Prime Wellness states its mission is to "serve as an innovative, leading caregiver to the patients of the Commonwealth who qualify for medical marijuana treatment and are registered with the Department of Public Health," adding that it intends to "set the bar for performance, quality and safety at (registered marijuana dispensaries) in the Commonwealth." Herbal Wellness Center Inc. indicated its county of preference was Worcester, but is no longer. Bruce Bedrick, CEO of Medbox, which is the consultant for CEO Jeffrey Rice, said in an email that Mr. Rice is "focusing his attention elsewhere for the remainder of the applications."
Commonwealth Patient Care Center, represented by its president Anthony Parrinello, originally proposed a an RMD in Middlesex County but met with the Auburn Board of Selectmen last week to inform them that they were eyeing a Millbury Street building for a cultivation facility. A review of the applications listing their initial preference for Worcester County show some have associations with and experience running dispensaries in other states, such as Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico. Good Chemistry is a nonprofit headed by Matthew Huron. Good Chemistry of Massachusetts LLC has $1.3 million to draw from, according to its Phase 1 application. The funding comes from an investor, Wellmass Enterprises LLC.
Good Chemistry, according to the Phase 1 application, is considering a cultivation site in Fitchburg and a dispensary in Worcester, one of up to three dispensaries noted in the application. Jennifer Brunenkant, vice president of development and director of Nature's Prose Inc., is in the process of finalizing negotiations on a location in Worcester for her dispensary. She declined to say where that location is. Ms. Brunenkant, a resident of Maryland, said that while there are three dispensaries open in Washington, D.C., there are few patients to serve, as the city has only approved 59 patients to use marijuana. One of the main challenges faced by those proposing marijuana dispensaries, said Ms. Brunenkant, is educating people and explaining the benefits of medical marijuana and how a dispensary works. Ms. Brunenkant has proposed community outreach programs and forums. In addition, Nature's Prose will educate patients and physicians about the benefits of cannabis for medical use, as well as fund research projects to study marijuana's efficacy in treating cancer and other diseases, and contribute to funding school science and alternative science programs, Ms. Brunenkant said.
"Everyone I am associated with in the industry, we are all in strong support of the program and we agree that medical cannabis provides relief to a lot of patients," Ms. Brunenkant said. She has experience working with cultivators in California and other industry professionals in Maine and Colorado. "We want to be good neighbors," Ms. Brunenkant said, adding that part of that commitment is also employing green technologies in their buildings, such as using LED lights that use 60 percent less energy than common forms of light, using rainwater and other organic and natural products to reduce waste. While 181 Phase 1 applications were received, 158 – 14 for Worcester County – were invited to submit an application for Phase 2. The applications must be hand-delivered to the Department of Public Health Nov. 21, and only those approved in the Phase 1 review are eligible to apply for the second and final phase.
"The DPH is committed to approving dispensaries for qualified patients as soon as possible, while ensuring the selection process meets the highest standards for public health and safety" said Anne Roach, DPH spokeswoman. "DPH anticipates that the Phase 2 application process will be completed by the beginning of the new year, with licenses issued shortly thereafter. The individual dispensaries will determine their own time frames as to when they are able to be operational." The Phase 2 review will be more rigorous than the initial review. Ms. Roach said applicants will be evaluated and scored on factors including the ability to meet the health needs of the patients, appropriateness of the site, geographic distribution of the dispensaries, local support and public safety plans.
Although applicants were not required to submit a location or a county in Phase 1, many did submit a county of preference, Ms. Roach said. A proposed location is required in the second phase. The law allows for up to 35 registered marijuana dispensaries in the state, with no more than five per county. Cultivation, processing and distribution sites may be in different counties, but there may not be more than two sites for one registered dispensary. In Phase 1, applicants had to prove they had access to initial capital of $500,000. From those funds, the applicants could pay the required $50,000 registration fee. Beyond that, applicants pay $30,000 for each application, and that fee must come from some source other than the initial $500,000.
In Phase 2, applicants must now prove they have access to the required funds in an account in the name of the nonprofit corporation. An applicant must have $500,000 for their first application and $400,000 for each subsequent application available in that account. In addition to finances and locations, applicants must also describe their efforts to obtain support from local municipalities in which they plan to locate a dispensary, cultivation or processing site and indicate any opposition.
News Hawk - The General @ 420 MAGAZINE ®
Source: Telegram.com
Author: Donna Boynton
Contact: CONTACTS - Worcester Telegram & Gazette - telegram.com
Website: Medical marijuana process rolls toward Phase 2 - Worcester Telegram & Gazette - telegram.com
However, who those applicants are and where they intend to locate their dispensaries are still somewhat of a mystery. While the fledgling medical marijuana industry has attracted many applicants – some of whom already have similar successful businesses in other states such as Colorado and Arizona, others are local entrepreneurs – they are holding tight to their plans, guarded when discussing their proposals. Some decline to discuss their proposals at all. Others have not returned phone calls and messages, making it unclear if they plan to progress beyond their Phase 1 approval, or if their focus has shifted.
The situation is fluid. Some applicants initially eyeing Worcester County for a dispensary or cultivation site have decided to focus elsewhere, while others who were once focused outside of Central Massachusetts have zeroed in on the region. "I have been instructed by my attorney to keep silent about it because of the nature of the Department of Public Health. This is a very serious matter for them and I would be happy to speak after the licensing process," said John P. Glowik Jr. Mr. Glowik's Phase 1 application indicated he was proposing a dispensary in Boston and a cultivation and preparation site in Grafton under the name Prime Wellness of MA Inc.
In its application to the state, Prime Wellness states its mission is to "serve as an innovative, leading caregiver to the patients of the Commonwealth who qualify for medical marijuana treatment and are registered with the Department of Public Health," adding that it intends to "set the bar for performance, quality and safety at (registered marijuana dispensaries) in the Commonwealth." Herbal Wellness Center Inc. indicated its county of preference was Worcester, but is no longer. Bruce Bedrick, CEO of Medbox, which is the consultant for CEO Jeffrey Rice, said in an email that Mr. Rice is "focusing his attention elsewhere for the remainder of the applications."
Commonwealth Patient Care Center, represented by its president Anthony Parrinello, originally proposed a an RMD in Middlesex County but met with the Auburn Board of Selectmen last week to inform them that they were eyeing a Millbury Street building for a cultivation facility. A review of the applications listing their initial preference for Worcester County show some have associations with and experience running dispensaries in other states, such as Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico. Good Chemistry is a nonprofit headed by Matthew Huron. Good Chemistry of Massachusetts LLC has $1.3 million to draw from, according to its Phase 1 application. The funding comes from an investor, Wellmass Enterprises LLC.
Good Chemistry, according to the Phase 1 application, is considering a cultivation site in Fitchburg and a dispensary in Worcester, one of up to three dispensaries noted in the application. Jennifer Brunenkant, vice president of development and director of Nature's Prose Inc., is in the process of finalizing negotiations on a location in Worcester for her dispensary. She declined to say where that location is. Ms. Brunenkant, a resident of Maryland, said that while there are three dispensaries open in Washington, D.C., there are few patients to serve, as the city has only approved 59 patients to use marijuana. One of the main challenges faced by those proposing marijuana dispensaries, said Ms. Brunenkant, is educating people and explaining the benefits of medical marijuana and how a dispensary works. Ms. Brunenkant has proposed community outreach programs and forums. In addition, Nature's Prose will educate patients and physicians about the benefits of cannabis for medical use, as well as fund research projects to study marijuana's efficacy in treating cancer and other diseases, and contribute to funding school science and alternative science programs, Ms. Brunenkant said.
"Everyone I am associated with in the industry, we are all in strong support of the program and we agree that medical cannabis provides relief to a lot of patients," Ms. Brunenkant said. She has experience working with cultivators in California and other industry professionals in Maine and Colorado. "We want to be good neighbors," Ms. Brunenkant said, adding that part of that commitment is also employing green technologies in their buildings, such as using LED lights that use 60 percent less energy than common forms of light, using rainwater and other organic and natural products to reduce waste. While 181 Phase 1 applications were received, 158 – 14 for Worcester County – were invited to submit an application for Phase 2. The applications must be hand-delivered to the Department of Public Health Nov. 21, and only those approved in the Phase 1 review are eligible to apply for the second and final phase.
"The DPH is committed to approving dispensaries for qualified patients as soon as possible, while ensuring the selection process meets the highest standards for public health and safety" said Anne Roach, DPH spokeswoman. "DPH anticipates that the Phase 2 application process will be completed by the beginning of the new year, with licenses issued shortly thereafter. The individual dispensaries will determine their own time frames as to when they are able to be operational." The Phase 2 review will be more rigorous than the initial review. Ms. Roach said applicants will be evaluated and scored on factors including the ability to meet the health needs of the patients, appropriateness of the site, geographic distribution of the dispensaries, local support and public safety plans.
Although applicants were not required to submit a location or a county in Phase 1, many did submit a county of preference, Ms. Roach said. A proposed location is required in the second phase. The law allows for up to 35 registered marijuana dispensaries in the state, with no more than five per county. Cultivation, processing and distribution sites may be in different counties, but there may not be more than two sites for one registered dispensary. In Phase 1, applicants had to prove they had access to initial capital of $500,000. From those funds, the applicants could pay the required $50,000 registration fee. Beyond that, applicants pay $30,000 for each application, and that fee must come from some source other than the initial $500,000.
In Phase 2, applicants must now prove they have access to the required funds in an account in the name of the nonprofit corporation. An applicant must have $500,000 for their first application and $400,000 for each subsequent application available in that account. In addition to finances and locations, applicants must also describe their efforts to obtain support from local municipalities in which they plan to locate a dispensary, cultivation or processing site and indicate any opposition.
News Hawk - The General @ 420 MAGAZINE ®
Source: Telegram.com
Author: Donna Boynton
Contact: CONTACTS - Worcester Telegram & Gazette - telegram.com
Website: Medical marijuana process rolls toward Phase 2 - Worcester Telegram & Gazette - telegram.com
