Robert Celt
New Member
Fulton County, New York (WBNG Binghamton) Medical marijuana is being grown legally in New York for the first time in more than a century. Josh Martin of Action News was given an exclusive look at a brand new medical marijuana facility.
The New York State Medical Marijuana Program launched on Jan. 7. Vireo Health's facility in Fulton County is a converted juvenile correction facility-- and only one of four places in the state where marijuana can legally be grown.
"Because of the federal laws and how they are now, medical cannabis that is sold in New York must be manufactured in New York," said Vireo CEO Air Hoffnung.
Vireo grows five different strains of marijuana with varying levels of pain-relieving compounds like THC and CPD. The 16 week growing process begins in rooms with blue light for the plants. The lights are on 24 hours a day. The plants are grown hydroponically--meaning without soil.
"We will take a rooted cube to put the plant in," said Head Grower at Vireo Chuck Schmitt. "We take that rooted cube and we will put it in this block here and that is how we end up with the plants."
Each block is labeled with a bar code that gives each plant its own identity throughout its life.
"We know when it was planted, when it was harvested, when it was extracted and when it was transported securely to patients from Fulton County to the Southern Tier, and when it was dispensed to the patient," said Hoffnung.
As the plants mature they are moved to what is known as the "flower room." In there Vireo uses a more red and orange light to simulate the fall season.
"We try and keep the room around 75 to 80 degrees," said Schmitt. "It is a plant that is native to several parts of the world but it is in a tropical environment where humidity is controlled around 40 to 50 percent."
After the plants mature, the marijuana is harvested and sent to dry. In other states this is where the operation ends, but not in New York.
"The process is just half done at this point and now we turn it over to our manufacturing team who extracts the oils into other products," said Hoffnung.
Check back in with Action News on Tuesday for how the marijuana is made into medicine.
News Moderator: Robert Celt 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: A Trip Inside A New York Medical Marijuana Growing Facility
Author: Josh Martin
Photo Credit: Gramercy Communications
Website: 12 Action News
The New York State Medical Marijuana Program launched on Jan. 7. Vireo Health's facility in Fulton County is a converted juvenile correction facility-- and only one of four places in the state where marijuana can legally be grown.
"Because of the federal laws and how they are now, medical cannabis that is sold in New York must be manufactured in New York," said Vireo CEO Air Hoffnung.
Vireo grows five different strains of marijuana with varying levels of pain-relieving compounds like THC and CPD. The 16 week growing process begins in rooms with blue light for the plants. The lights are on 24 hours a day. The plants are grown hydroponically--meaning without soil.
"We will take a rooted cube to put the plant in," said Head Grower at Vireo Chuck Schmitt. "We take that rooted cube and we will put it in this block here and that is how we end up with the plants."
Each block is labeled with a bar code that gives each plant its own identity throughout its life.
"We know when it was planted, when it was harvested, when it was extracted and when it was transported securely to patients from Fulton County to the Southern Tier, and when it was dispensed to the patient," said Hoffnung.
As the plants mature they are moved to what is known as the "flower room." In there Vireo uses a more red and orange light to simulate the fall season.
"We try and keep the room around 75 to 80 degrees," said Schmitt. "It is a plant that is native to several parts of the world but it is in a tropical environment where humidity is controlled around 40 to 50 percent."
After the plants mature, the marijuana is harvested and sent to dry. In other states this is where the operation ends, but not in New York.
"The process is just half done at this point and now we turn it over to our manufacturing team who extracts the oils into other products," said Hoffnung.
Check back in with Action News on Tuesday for how the marijuana is made into medicine.
News Moderator: Robert Celt 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: A Trip Inside A New York Medical Marijuana Growing Facility
Author: Josh Martin
Photo Credit: Gramercy Communications
Website: 12 Action News
