compassion centers

First Medical Marijuana Center Opens in Rhode Island

John Bender — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 18:43:55 +0000

Friday is the first day of business for the first medical marijuana compassion center in Rhode Island.

There was a line out the door of the Thomas C. Slater Compassion Center in Providence, on opening day for the first medical marijuana dispensary here in Rhode Island. The 1,600 square foot building houses cultivation and processing facilities as well as the center itself.

Despite state approval for the center, the federal government still classifies marijuana as illegal, said Chris Reilly, a spokesperson for the center.

State's First Pot Dispensary to Open in Two Weeks

Flo Jonic — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 13:44:16 +0000

Rhode Island’s first medical marijuana dispensary is set to open two weeks from today. The state health department has approved the permit for the Thomas C. Slater Compassion Center.

The facility plans to grow its own marijuana but the first batch of medicine will be purchased from growers who participate in the state’s medical marijuana program. That’s because Slater wasn’t allowed to have any marijuana on hand while it awaited its final permits.

Two other dispensaries – in Warwick and Portsmouth – are awaiting state approval.

First Medical Marijuana Compassion Center Certified

Kristin Gourlay — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 17:48:20 +0000

The Rhode Island Department of Health has issued the state's first certificate to operate to a medical marijuana retail store. The Thomas C. Slater compassion center must tell the department when it expects to begin selling marijuana to patients who qualify. But today's announcement means the center can officially open for business.

Thousands of patients with qualifying medical conditions have registered to be able to buy the drug. They don't need a prescription but do need a doctor to certify they're eligible.

Mass. docs want tighter controls on medical marijuana

Kristin Gourlay — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 19:58:54 +0000

In Rhode Island, medical marijuana is already legal, through people who are so-called “caregivers” selling to patients. The state has established three “compassion centers” that haven’t opened yet. In Massachusetts, regulators are still considering how to implement the law. Doctors there want tighter controls.

Compassion center regulations closer to final

Kristin Gourlay — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 04:00:00 +0000

News from the RI Dept. of Health from spokeswoman Dara Chadwick about medical marijuana. They’re close to finalizing the regulations for compassion centers. She writes that “…one more review meeting will be held to finalize. After that, the regulations will be filed with the Secretary of State’s office.”

The three approved applicants must then submit their “Registration to Operate a Medical Marijuana Compassion Center.”

Meanwhile, a lawsuit has just been filed accusing the Dept. of reversing course, without warning, on who can prescribe medical marijuana.

Therapeutic value of medical marijuana

Kristin Gourlay — Fri, 12 Oct 2012 04:00:00 +0000

Science Friday is airing right now (the 2 o’clock hour on Friday) on Rhode Island Public Radio. (Listen now.) The topic is the medical value of marijuana; a federal appeals court is set to hear arguments about its value next week. Host Ira Flatow is talking to an oncologist and a microbiologist about it. Fascinating.