Silver Spring’s first medical marijuana dispensary has been revealed.
Green Thumb Industries, the Chicago-based company that has former Ravens player Eugene Monroe as a partner, announced plans to open at 7900 Fenton Street. Banner Glass closed its location at the address in July of last year.
According to Bethesda Beat, Monroe and GTI Director & CEO Pete Kadens gave a presentation in February, announcing their plans to build a location in Silver Spring. GTI was one of 102 businesses awarded licenses to sell medical marijuana in Maryland.
Medical marijuana was legalized in 2014 by the Maryland General Assembly and signed by Governor Martin O’Malley. The Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission has since issued licenses to grow, process and sell medical marijuana.
Under Maryland law, caregivers that have been certified will be able to prescribe medical marijuana for qualifying conditions:
Qualifying medical conditions include cachexia, anorexia, wasting syndrome, severe pain, severe nausea, seizures, severe or persistent muscle spasms, glaucoma, post-traumatic stress disorder and chronic pain. The Provider Registry is open and the Commission encourages providers to register. Any provider with an active, unrestricted license in good standing with the Maryland State Board of Physicians and actively registered to prescribe controlled substances in Maryland is eligible to register with MMCC.
The MMCC estimates that medical marijuana will be available to patients from licensed dispensaries in mid-to-late Summer of this year. An announcement will be made by the MMCC when it is available to the public, however patients and caregivers are encouraged to start the registration process now.
Photo: Green Thumb Industries has proposed the former Banner Glass site as its first medical marijuana dispensary in Silver Spring. (David Lay/Source of the Spring)