BECKLEY, WV (WOAY) – The arrival of medical Cannabis dispensaries in West Virginia as of November 2021 is leading more to learn about the industry and how to obtain medical cards to acquire it.
This is now the case in Beckley as a new medical marijuana dispensary, Cannabist held an informational event Monday at the Courtyard by Marriot.
The new dispensary partnered with local registered physicians of Releaf Specialists and the WV Office of Medical Cannabis to hold the event. The event allowed those interested in getting a card to see a physician, complete the state’s patient application, and meet the Cannabist team.
“We just want to spread the word to West Virginia residents as it’s very new for the state, so we just want to be here and explain the process for after you’re certified and that you have your card, what coming to the dispensary is going to be like,” says Store Manager of Beckley Cannabist, Colin Christmas.
To qualify for a medical card in the state, patients must have chronic pain, PTSD, and Cancer, among some types of neurological conditions.
West Virginia currently has around 7,500 people with a registered medical cannabis card. Medical marijuana has been known to effectively serve as a substitution for many prescription pills.
Owner of Releaf Specialists, Bob Scherer says there’s plenty of room for growth for the pill alternative in the state, and that its benefits here are already starting to show.
“Everybody knows that there has been an opioid epidemic in this country and West Virginia has been center-point on that, and we find that a lot of patients are finding relief through cannabis,” Scherer says.
Cannabist is the first medical marijuana dispensary to open in Beckley. People must present a government-licensed photo ID and their medical cannabis card upon visiting the store.
If you missed Monday’s informational event but would like to learn more about registering for a medical cannabis card, you can visit Releaf Specialists on their website.
