Medical Marijuana Program Takes Shape in Maryland

Its been over two years since Maryland officially decriminalized medical marijuana and patients are still relying on the illicit market. The Free States medicinal cannabis program is finally taking shape with thefirst round of licensing pre-approval for 102 dispensaries selected from a pool of over 800 applicants. Cannabis Now spoke with the passionate providers behind one of those still-unopened medical pot shops about their vision for the future.

Maryland recently took another step towards a working medical marijuana program with their announcement of the preliminary round or pre-approvals for cannabis dispensary licenses.This development came not a momenttoo soon for patients and providers struggling under adelayed timeline for the program, which was signedinto law in 2014.

Of the 811 applicants for licenses 102 were pre-approved. Among them, Peninsula Alternative Health, which will be located on the Eastern Shore.

Mary Pat Hoffman, the Clinical Director for the dispensary, said her commitment to providing alternative healthcare options motivates her involvement in the burgeoning program, despite considerable delays and obstacles.

Ive had a passion and vested interest for years, and when I heard it was on the radar in Maryland, I jumped in, Hoffman said. Hopefully in a year itll be a regular medication, and if patients have questions, we can make them feel empowered and comfortable in our dispensary.

Now shellbe on the ground floor of a medical program that will offer thousands of Marylanders the medicine they need legally.

Since the announcement of the license pre-approvals, Hoffman has spoken publicly about how the evidence for medical marijuana has only grown since she first earned her doctorate in pharmacy almost 20 years ago. She told Cannabis Now that, especially compared to many commonly used pharmaceuticals, cannabis is incredibly safe medicine.

Its crazy what goes down on a prescription notepad, she said. And how cannabis has been around for centuries and its still not accepted as a medicine.

Fighting the stigma

Cultivating a positive brandimage can be an uphill battle for cannabis companies in the face of lingering stereotypes. Hoffman said for that reason, the dispensary will look and operate like a regular medical center.

We are a beach town, and some people think itll look like one of the candy kitchens we have down here, she said.By operating within a medical model, we are confident that effectively partnering with our patients in the judicious use of medicinal cannabis will improve our patients overall quality of life.

Hoffman is grateful and excited as she looks forward to the work that still needs to be accomplished to get her states medical marijuana program running as soon as possible.Her aim is to make Peninsula Alternative Health a comfortable, and safe space for patients to ask about their therapy options with cannabis a foreign concept for many who are unfamiliar with recent research on the endocannabinoid system.

Collectively, we will be ...