Medical Marijuana BlogMedical marijuana patients living in Connecticut have been waiting for a long time to get safe access to their medicine. It looks like their wait is finally over. Last week, an announcement was made that the first crop of legal medical marijuana is ready for shipment around the state. This happens almost two years after the state legalized the use of medical marijuana. Connecticut has six licensed dispensaries to sell medical marijuana and all have reported that as soon as they get the shipment, they will start selling it the next day.
The end of a long wait for patients
Theraplant, one of the four licensed manufacturers in Connecticut, told The Courant that it would make the first round of deliveries to the dispensaries on Monday, 29 September. The packages included ground up raw flowers in 5-gram, 10-gram, 15-gram and 35-gram doses; pre-rolled cones or joints; and tabs that can broken apart and smoked or used in vaporizers. It is expected that most dispensaries will begin sales later this week. Naturally, everyone that is involved is excited – people have a feeling of “making history”.
Limited forms of marijuana available
For now, patients will be able to buy only medical cannabis made for smoking or vaping. Eventually, the available forms will be broaden into oils, tinctures, capsules and baked goods, such as brownies, bars and cookies, in coming months, manufacturers say. So far, the state has registered 2,326 patients who are eligible to buy the available “smokables” that can be vaporized. Naturally, manufacturers and dispensaries are counting on growth of registered patients.
Security is tight at the dispensaries
With approval from the state Department of Consumer Protection required for visitors, the security inside some dispensaries includes awkwardly tight measures such as camera at the doorbell, secured entrance and a person behind an inch-thick window who will verify patient’s state registration. There are no walk-ins. Once he is approved, a patient will enter a locked waiting area with display cases that have glass pipes and other equipment. Consultations about patient’s condition and marijuana sales will be performed in private rooms beyond the waiting area. Paranoid much?
Patients looking forward
There have been cases of patients reporting how medical marijuana has helped their migraines and relieved the pressure in their eyes caused by chronic glaucoma, unlike laser surgery and eye drops – now, they have expressed their feelings of relief. In addition to glaucoma, the 11 debilitating medical conditions for which medical marijuana can be used in Connecticut also include: post-traumatic stress disorder, cancer, HIV or AIDS, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, damage to the nervous tissue in the spinal cord or intractable spasticity, epilepsy, cachexia, wasting syndrome and Crohn’s disease. Their doctor can certify registered patients in order to provide them with no more than 70 grams a month (2.5 ounces).
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