Ron Strider
Well-Known Member
A sixth medical marijuana dispensary will be operating in New Jersey by the end of the year after the state granted a long-delayed license to the Harmony Foundation on Thursday to grow cannabis in Secaucus. The nonprofit's application had been pending since 2011.
The facility will be housed inside a 10,000-square-foot portion of "a big light industrial building" outfitted with a state-of-the-art indoor greenhouse and processing equipment, said spokeswoman Leslie Hoffman. It will employ about 35 people.
Patients should be able to buy medical marijuana at the Alternative Treatment Center by early December if the group's products pass all the required state tests.
Hoffman said the North Jersey center will be the first growing and dispensing facility operated by the nonprofit group. Led by CEO Shaya Brodchandel, who has a background in nuclear medicine manufacturing, the Harmony Foundation has hired a grower from California with 20 years of experience in the cannabis industry.
At the time it applied for the license, the Harmony Foundation's board of directors was comprised primarily of Russian educated business executives. Hoffman said she did not know the identities of the current board members or their nationalities. She said Harmony Foundation had no out-of-state affiliations with other U.S. marijuana businesses.
According to the Department of Health, changes to the organizational structure had slowed license approval. In December 2014, the state began an examination of principals, corporate structure and funding sources. Following the probe, the group added new principals and investors and those required additional background checks. The state spokesman said the identities of the new principals and investors could be obtained through a Right-to-Know legal appeal, a process that typically takes 30 days.
About 13,200 patients have registered with the medical marijuana program in New Jersey. According to the state Department of Health, only 475 doctors have signed on to write recommendations for cannabis medicines.
News Moderator: Ron Strider 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Firm with Russian links will open N.J.'s 6th medical marijuana dispensary
Author: Sam Wood
Contact: Contact Us - philly.com
Photo Credit: Todd McInturf
Website: Philadelphia local news, sports, jobs, cars, homes - Philly.com
The facility will be housed inside a 10,000-square-foot portion of "a big light industrial building" outfitted with a state-of-the-art indoor greenhouse and processing equipment, said spokeswoman Leslie Hoffman. It will employ about 35 people.
Patients should be able to buy medical marijuana at the Alternative Treatment Center by early December if the group's products pass all the required state tests.
Hoffman said the North Jersey center will be the first growing and dispensing facility operated by the nonprofit group. Led by CEO Shaya Brodchandel, who has a background in nuclear medicine manufacturing, the Harmony Foundation has hired a grower from California with 20 years of experience in the cannabis industry.
At the time it applied for the license, the Harmony Foundation's board of directors was comprised primarily of Russian educated business executives. Hoffman said she did not know the identities of the current board members or their nationalities. She said Harmony Foundation had no out-of-state affiliations with other U.S. marijuana businesses.
According to the Department of Health, changes to the organizational structure had slowed license approval. In December 2014, the state began an examination of principals, corporate structure and funding sources. Following the probe, the group added new principals and investors and those required additional background checks. The state spokesman said the identities of the new principals and investors could be obtained through a Right-to-Know legal appeal, a process that typically takes 30 days.
About 13,200 patients have registered with the medical marijuana program in New Jersey. According to the state Department of Health, only 475 doctors have signed on to write recommendations for cannabis medicines.
News Moderator: Ron Strider 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Firm with Russian links will open N.J.'s 6th medical marijuana dispensary
Author: Sam Wood
Contact: Contact Us - philly.com
Photo Credit: Todd McInturf
Website: Philadelphia local news, sports, jobs, cars, homes - Philly.com
