Ron Strider
Well-Known Member
After a long series of fits and starts in Maryland's medical cannabis program, Frederick dispensaries are preparing for marijuana to become available to patients by the first week of December.
"We are planning and staffing and spending money based off the assumption that we are going to have it by then," said Mike Kline, founder of the Wellness Institute of Maryland in Frederick. "I am confident but not certain."
While no precise date has been set, other industry insiders also are expecting for product to become available by the first week in December. Kannavis, an Urbana-based dispensary, has hired 10 full-time staff members and expects to extend its store hours once cannabis is delivered.
The store currently is open from 1 to 7 p.m. and only sells accessory products, owner Jane Klink said.
State testing laboratories also have examined and certified several shipments of cannabis, the last necessary step before the product can be shipped to processors and dispensaries. Steep Hill Maryland, the state's first validated testing lab, has already analyzed about 1,200 pounds of marijuana flower and a variety of processed products, such as lotions, oils and tinctures, said CEO Andrew Rosenstein.
Cannabis began arriving at the lab by mid-October, Rosenstein said, but had to pass a rigorous series of tests before it could be certified. Testing laboratories are required to inspect medical marijuana for hair, mites and insects, as well as mycotoxins such as yeast and mold. The labs also test for heavy metals and bacteria, in addition to assessing the potency of the product.
"That includes looking at what cannabinoids are in the product, so how much THC, CBD, etcetera," Rosenstein said. "We need to be able to say, 'OK, this is what the chemical composition is.'"
It's still unclear which growers are providing the first batch of product, said Timothy Shaw, the chief operating officer for MariMed, a cannabis consulting firm.
Most cultivators still are unwilling to disclose that information due to the relative newness of Maryland's cannabis industry and the scrutiny under which most participants are placed, Shaw said. It's likely the first crops also come from the first approved growers in the state, which include ForwardGro LLC, a Lothian-based company, and Holistic Industries, a grower in Prince George's County.
It's also unclear how much product will be available by the first week of December. Klink said she wasn't sure what the size of her first shipment would be. Kline also declined to comment on how much cannabis he expected to receive.
A voicemail message for the dispensary says that two processors have directed "their entire initial production" to the Wellness Institute.
"We have close to 2,000 patients who have registered with us," Kline said. "We are unsure how long it will take for us to provide service to those 2,000 people."
News Moderator: Ron Strider 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Medical cannabis expected to arrive in Frederick by first week of December | State | stardem.com
Contact: Contact | Site | stardem.com
Photo Credit: Brennan Linsley
Website: stardem.com
"We are planning and staffing and spending money based off the assumption that we are going to have it by then," said Mike Kline, founder of the Wellness Institute of Maryland in Frederick. "I am confident but not certain."
While no precise date has been set, other industry insiders also are expecting for product to become available by the first week in December. Kannavis, an Urbana-based dispensary, has hired 10 full-time staff members and expects to extend its store hours once cannabis is delivered.
The store currently is open from 1 to 7 p.m. and only sells accessory products, owner Jane Klink said.
State testing laboratories also have examined and certified several shipments of cannabis, the last necessary step before the product can be shipped to processors and dispensaries. Steep Hill Maryland, the state's first validated testing lab, has already analyzed about 1,200 pounds of marijuana flower and a variety of processed products, such as lotions, oils and tinctures, said CEO Andrew Rosenstein.
Cannabis began arriving at the lab by mid-October, Rosenstein said, but had to pass a rigorous series of tests before it could be certified. Testing laboratories are required to inspect medical marijuana for hair, mites and insects, as well as mycotoxins such as yeast and mold. The labs also test for heavy metals and bacteria, in addition to assessing the potency of the product.
"That includes looking at what cannabinoids are in the product, so how much THC, CBD, etcetera," Rosenstein said. "We need to be able to say, 'OK, this is what the chemical composition is.'"
It's still unclear which growers are providing the first batch of product, said Timothy Shaw, the chief operating officer for MariMed, a cannabis consulting firm.
Most cultivators still are unwilling to disclose that information due to the relative newness of Maryland's cannabis industry and the scrutiny under which most participants are placed, Shaw said. It's likely the first crops also come from the first approved growers in the state, which include ForwardGro LLC, a Lothian-based company, and Holistic Industries, a grower in Prince George's County.
It's also unclear how much product will be available by the first week of December. Klink said she wasn't sure what the size of her first shipment would be. Kline also declined to comment on how much cannabis he expected to receive.
A voicemail message for the dispensary says that two processors have directed "their entire initial production" to the Wellness Institute.
"We have close to 2,000 patients who have registered with us," Kline said. "We are unsure how long it will take for us to provide service to those 2,000 people."
News Moderator: Ron Strider 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Medical cannabis expected to arrive in Frederick by first week of December | State | stardem.com
Contact: Contact | Site | stardem.com
Photo Credit: Brennan Linsley
Website: stardem.com