MILFORD–On Friday, the state approved three more medical marijuana dispensary facilities, which are in addition to the six current ones in Hartford, Bristol, South Windsor, Bethel, Uncasville and Branford. The new ones are expected to be open for business by early summer.
The new dispensaries are:
- Arrow Alternative Care #2, Inc., which is located at 255 West River St. in Milford
- Caring Nature, LLC, which is located at 237 East Aurora St. in Waterbury
- Southern CT Wellness & Healing, LLC, which is located at 318 New Haven Ave. in Milford
The owner of the Arrow Alternative Care facility also owns the dispensary in Hartford.
There were 19 applicants, of which the three were picked.
According to the update from the Department of Consumer Protection, which regulates the sale of medical marijuana in the state, there are currently 8,228 patients registered for medical marijuana in Connecticut.
“With the addition of three new dispensary facilities, the state’s medical marijuana program will be better able to meet the medical needs of the 1,941 patients in Fairfield County, and the 2141 patients in New Haven County,” DCP Commissioner Jonathan Harris said.
Each of the dispensaries must pay a $5,000 license fee and submit official documents within 30 days to get the license.
FOX 61 reported in June that the state was planning to add to the six state dispensaries. When we reported that, there were 4,097 registered patients, so the demand has more than doubled.
“Connecticut was the first state to adopt a true pharmaceutical model for its medical marijuana program,” Harris said at the time. “As a result, additional dispensary facilities are needed, particularly in Fairfield and New Haven counties.” he said at the time
No new grow facilities were announced. There are currently four locations licensed to grow the marijuana in the state:
- Advanced Grow Labs LLC in West Haven
- Connecticut Pharmaceutical Solution LLC in Portland
- Curaleaf LLC in Simsbury
- Theraplant LLC in Watertown
There are 11 approved conditions for patients to qualify for a medical marijuana registration, and the benefits of the drug must be shown by a doctor to outweigh the risks of the drug for each individual patient. The approved conditions are: cancer, glaucoma, HIV or AIDs, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, intractable spasticity related to nerve damage in the spinal cord, epilepsy, cachexia, wasting syndrome, Crohn’s disease and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Connecticut’s Department of Consumer Protection says seven more conditions are in the process of being added.
