LEWISBURG, WV (WOAY) – Medical marijuana is an up and coming industry in West Virginia. The state’s first ever dispensary opened in Morgantown late last year, and now southern west Virginia will soon be home to several dispensaries.
Greenlight Dispensaries is a company with locations in four different states, and is now expanding to West Virginia. They’re getting locations ready and plan to open several in the coming months, including one in Lewisburg.
The dispensary is currently holding interviews to staff the upcoming store, and hopes to fill the positions with West Virginia locals.
“I find that people from the area tend to do much better than bringing in people from other parts of the country,” Casey Efting, Greenlight Director of Retail Operations said. “Because we can teach you about cannabis. We can’t teach you how to be a leader in your community.”
Medical marijuana is a new concept for West Virginia. It was passed by the state legislature in 2018, and for the past few years, the newly created Office of Medical Cannabis has been writing regulations for the new industry.
Now Greenlight, as well as other dispensaries, are hoping to make West Virginia their home. They’re goal is provide a new option for patients suffering from pain, anxiety and other ailments, which they say can be huge in the fight against the opioid crisis.
“Everybody’s situation is unique, but there have been a lot of people who have found relief in alternative medicines such as cannabis to get them off of opioids and other prescription pills.”
Greenlight is planning to open other locations in Beckley, Stollings, Bluefield and Princeton. They hope to have all locations open by early March.
Each store is hoping to generate between 6-12 jobs.
