After months of anticipation, the first medical marijuana dispensary in Pennsylvania history is now open for business in the Lehigh Valley area. Keystone Canna Remedies, a simplistic, professionally crafted dispensary in the quiet town of Bethlehem, PA is now officially permitted to sell medicinal cannabis to qualifying patients with medical cards.
The First-Ever Medical Marijuana Dispensary In Pennsylvania
“Welcome to the 21st Century,” said Tony Iannelli, CEO and president of the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce upon the dispensary’s grand opening.
Although the dispensary is technically ‘open,’ it will not begin selling medications until February, For now, it is open to the public for consultations and educational workshops only.
However, when the shop does begin to retail its products, customers will have a variety of herbal remedies to choose from.
While flowers and edibles will not be available, due to Pennsylvania state laws, customers will be allowed to choose from a plethora of alternative consumption methods such as vaporizers, oil cartridges, tinctures and lotions.
Additionally, patrons will be allowed to customize their orders to reflect their own personal preferences. They can choose products that contain strictly THC, CBD, or both.
Victora Guadagnino Jr., who founded the dispensary with his father, Dr. Victor Guadagnino and his aunt, Joan Guadagnino, lauded the way Pennsylvania and Gov. Tom Wolf’s has handled the inception of medical marijuana in the state, and that Wolf’s progressive mentality regarding MMJ is one of the main reasons they chose Pennsylvania as the springboard for their business.
“Pennsylvania and the Department of Health has been doing it right,” said Guadagnino Jr. “The state is setting the standard for how other states should implement medical marijuana programs.”
And while the timing of Keystone Canna Remedies’ opening may come with a plethora of uncertainty, considering Jeff Sessions’ recent crusade to interfere with state marijuana laws, Guadagnino Jr. believes Pennsylvania will do everything in its power to help protect his family’s business.
“We believe that the state will protect us,” he said. “I’m not worried because we’re focused on getting the patients access. When people can see the benefits cannabis can have, I think there is going to be a lot of change at the national level.”
Final Hit: The First Medical Marijuana Marijuana In Pennsylvania Has Opened
The elder Guadagnino, who acts as the chief of business development, also remains high on the first-ever medical marijuana dispensary in Pennsylvania and believes his family’s endeavor will open up new doors for patients that have struggled to find the correct treatment for their illnesses.
“It means there’s going to be safe and effective access to a new medicine that can help in a wide variety of ways,” Guadagnino said.
Governor Tom Wolf also declared that the Guadagnino’s dispensary should serve as a catalyst for other dispensaries to make their mark.
“We are one step closer to providing medical marijuana to patients with serious medical conditions who desperately need this medication,” the Democratic governor said. He also added that he will do everything in his power “to protect Pennsylvania patients,” from federal interference.
As of now, there have been over 10,000 applications for a medical marijuana license, with around 1,200 of those already approved by a licensed physician.
