Medical marijuana dispensaries are businesses that sell cannabis and related products to licensed patients. This type of dispensary has been springing up in the past few years. Because Michigan gives a limited number of licenses to provide this service. The starting cost for these businesses is about $5,000 to $10,000 for licensing and an additional $500 every month for rent. Despite their high startup costs, these kinds of dispensaries have been changing the country’s landscape in many health departments. Laws have quickly adapted to new startups after starting slow, with only six states having active legislation.
There are several types of medical marijuana dispensaries:
1) MMJ Dispensary– The MMJ Dispensary specializes in providing its patient base with a wide variety of medical marijuana products, usually edibles. While this option is less common, it allows dispensary owners who want to focus more on selling to patients and less on growing to have a higher success rate.
2) Grower and Dispensary– The grower and dispensary model is the most common type of MMJ business. The focus is on growing their cannabis, but they also distribute their product to other dispensaries in the state. Hence, their business has a higher turnover than businesses that only sell. This model is popular because it lowers startup costs for those who want to grow but do not have the money for both licensing and rent at the same time.
3) Retail Storefront– A dispensary that focuses on growing and selling medical marijuana to patients is a retail storefront. These dispensaries offer the best of both worlds by offering products from other growers. This type of MMJ business is the most common because it offers more options for patients.
Here are the top five medical marijuana dispensaries in the country:
1) The Harborside Health Center– marijuana dispensaries
The Harborside Health Center is a medical marijuana dispensary in Oakland, California. They are the first to provide its patients with both medical marijuana and cannabis products. They were also the first to receive approval from the state of California for being a commercial facility. This dispensary was founded by Steve DeAngelo, who has worked at one of the largest dispensaries in Northern California for 20 years. The Harborside Health Center is more focused on patients making sure they are well taken care of than on profits. This is why they have the largest patient database in the United States.
2) The Compassionate Care Foundation– marijuana dispensaries
The Compassionate Care Foundation is another dispensary located in Oakland, California, known for being focused on patients’ needs and giving them excellent service. He believes that having an alternative to pharmaceutical medication makes a lot of sense for many patients addicted to prescription drugs. They have a really popular Facebook page, which celebrates all aspects of this dispensary’s work. This business strives to provide cannabis to its patient base at cost and free medical advice and services every day.
3) Green Dragon Cannabis Co.- marijuana dispensaries
Green Dragon Cannabis Co. is a medical marijuana dispensary in Santa Fe, New Mexico, specializing in providing patients with the best possible service and care. Tina Haase founded them. She has worked in the cannabis industry for 15 years, and her compassion for those who are ill is apparent through her work.
4) The Other Side– marijuana dispensaries
The Other Side is another medical marijuana dispensary specializing in providing excellent service to its patients by integrating holistic practices into its clinic’s mission. They are an example of a dispensary that has incorporated many different alternative treatments into its model. So it can provide a wider range of treatment options to patients who are not always looking for cannabis products alone.
5) The Green Cure– marijuana dispensaries
The Green Cure is a medical marijuana dispensary located in Boulder, Colorado. The dispensary has a history of serving those very ill and making sure that they are well taken care of. They receive high marks from patients because of the great education they offer, which is a requirement by law in Colorado. This dispensary has also won awards for its compassionate care and excellent service to patients.
