Safe access to medical marijuana is vital to a successful medical marijuana program. Without safe access points, patients are forced to either grow medical marijuana themselves or acquire it on the black market. Not everyone has the skills or means to grow their own medical marijuana, so without safe access or the ability to home cultivate, patient’s only other option is to buy marijuana on the street, which poses many issues. The black market does not test its marijuana, so the patient has almost no way of knowing what they are getting. Also, purchasing marijuana from the black market can be dangerous, and potentially supports gangs or cartels.
Delaware is one step closer to getting its first medical marijuana dispensary. Per Delaware Public Media:
The state has finalized negotiations with First State Compassion Center to run Delaware’s first medical marijuana dispensary, despite an ongoing lawsuit against the company.
In a letter to Sen. Margaret Rose Henry (D-Wilmington East), a sponsor of the original legislation, and New Castle County Executive Tom Gordon, DHSS officials say the growing operation is expected to start this fall, with sales beginning in early 2015.
First State Compassion Center and its president Mark Lally, former Sussex County Regional Director for Sen. Tom Carper (D-Delaware) inked the deal Monday, although both are still locked in a bitter dispute with his former business partner.
I hope the dispute between former business partners doesn’t derail the process, and I also hope that it’s not an indication of how the dispensary will be ran. What is it about the medical marijuana industry that brings so much baggage? In any case, I hope the dispensary succeeds for the sake of Delaware patients, who have been waiting a long time to get safe access to medical marijuana.
