Jacob Redmond
Well-Known Member
Lombard native Dan Scheidt opened his first medical marijuana dispensary eight years ago in Boulder, Colorado.
At that time, his business was one of only five in the city of 150,000. In the next eight years, the number of dispensaries would grow to 54 in the city, forcing Scheidt to close his first business. He was most recently working as the manager of another dispensary in Boulder when his father sent him a newspaper article about a medical marijuana business opening closer to his hometown.
He applied and was hired last month as the general manager for PharmaCannis at the dispensary's Schaumburg location. He and the other 39 employees within the PharmaCannis company are now gearing up with plans to hopefully open four locations in Illinois in early November. The other suburban locations are located at 161 S. Lincolnway, Suite 301, in North Aurora and 1804 Maple Avenue in Evanston. PharmaCannis also owns a dispensary in Ottawa.
On Thursday, PharmaCannis held an open house at its Schaumburg dispensary located within an industrial park at 1135 Tower Road. Potential patients stopped by as did media and local politicians. Patients have yet to receive their state-issued medical marijuana cards -- Scheidt said he's heard those would be sent out by late October.
As for the dispensary itself, the interior closely resembles a doctor's office. The only major difference would be the entrance. Unlike a doctor's office, the front door will be secured and patients will need to show their state-issued medical marijuana card and driver's license to be allowed inside.
Once inside, there is a reception area where patients will wait to be seen. From there, patients will be brought into a consultation room where staff will talk to them about their medical conditions and concerns.
The last stop is the dispensary room, which looks more like a conference room. Here, patients will be shown a "menu" of marijuana options, Scheidt said. They can then pick up their prescribed marijuana -- a separate, small room with a window is where the marijuana will be handed over to the patient.
That marijuana will come pre-packaged in a child-resistant, opaque container, said Norah Scott, chief human resources officer for Pharma Cannis. Patients will be allowed 2.5 ounces of marijuana every two weeks and must register with a specific dispensary, which will be the only location where they can receive the drug.
But, for right now, there is no marijuana available on site at any of PharmaCannis locations. Thousands of marijauna plants are currently growing at two grow sites owned by the company in Illinois.
"Unforunately, you can't rush this plant. It takes its time to grow," Scheidt said.
Why Choose to Pursue a Career in Medical Marijuana?
For the four founding partners of PharmaCannis, the decision to leave professional careers to start a medical marijuana businesses was rooted in deep, personal reasons. All of the founders have family members who suffer from medical conditions that are state-approved to be treated with medical marijuana.
Scott said her father applied for his medical marijuana card last September. Scott left a successful career as a recruiting consultant to start up PharmaCannis. Her husband, Teddy Scott, is the CEO of PharmaCannis. Teddy Scott has a law degree and his Ph.D in molecular physics.
"We look at this as an opportunity to help critically ill patients," Norah Scott said.
Organized Chaos
When Scheidt first opened his medical marijuana dispensary in Colorado, there were no rules on the number of dispensaries allowed within a geographic region. That's why, the area soon became over-saturated with medical marijuana dispensaries and there was not enough business coming into his dispensary. He was forced to close.
Things will be different in Illinois. The state only issued licenses for 60 retail stores and 21 growing facilities and that is all based on geographic locations, according to the Chicago Tribune. The state received a total of 369 applications.
PharmaCannis must pass its final inspection from the state before it is given the OK to open. And from there, it will be a matter of waiting for its marijuana to be harvested. And for their patients to receive their state-mandated medical marijuana cards. That is all expected to happen in the next couple weeks as the dispensary hopes to open in early November.
"It's a little chaotic right now," Scheidt said.
News Moderator: Jacob Redmond 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: A Look Inside One Suburban Medical Marijuana Company
Author: Amie Schaenzer
Contact: Contact Patch
Photo Credit: PharmaCannis
Website: Patch
At that time, his business was one of only five in the city of 150,000. In the next eight years, the number of dispensaries would grow to 54 in the city, forcing Scheidt to close his first business. He was most recently working as the manager of another dispensary in Boulder when his father sent him a newspaper article about a medical marijuana business opening closer to his hometown.
He applied and was hired last month as the general manager for PharmaCannis at the dispensary's Schaumburg location. He and the other 39 employees within the PharmaCannis company are now gearing up with plans to hopefully open four locations in Illinois in early November. The other suburban locations are located at 161 S. Lincolnway, Suite 301, in North Aurora and 1804 Maple Avenue in Evanston. PharmaCannis also owns a dispensary in Ottawa.
On Thursday, PharmaCannis held an open house at its Schaumburg dispensary located within an industrial park at 1135 Tower Road. Potential patients stopped by as did media and local politicians. Patients have yet to receive their state-issued medical marijuana cards -- Scheidt said he's heard those would be sent out by late October.
As for the dispensary itself, the interior closely resembles a doctor's office. The only major difference would be the entrance. Unlike a doctor's office, the front door will be secured and patients will need to show their state-issued medical marijuana card and driver's license to be allowed inside.
Once inside, there is a reception area where patients will wait to be seen. From there, patients will be brought into a consultation room where staff will talk to them about their medical conditions and concerns.
The last stop is the dispensary room, which looks more like a conference room. Here, patients will be shown a "menu" of marijuana options, Scheidt said. They can then pick up their prescribed marijuana -- a separate, small room with a window is where the marijuana will be handed over to the patient.
That marijuana will come pre-packaged in a child-resistant, opaque container, said Norah Scott, chief human resources officer for Pharma Cannis. Patients will be allowed 2.5 ounces of marijuana every two weeks and must register with a specific dispensary, which will be the only location where they can receive the drug.
But, for right now, there is no marijuana available on site at any of PharmaCannis locations. Thousands of marijauna plants are currently growing at two grow sites owned by the company in Illinois.
"Unforunately, you can't rush this plant. It takes its time to grow," Scheidt said.
Why Choose to Pursue a Career in Medical Marijuana?
For the four founding partners of PharmaCannis, the decision to leave professional careers to start a medical marijuana businesses was rooted in deep, personal reasons. All of the founders have family members who suffer from medical conditions that are state-approved to be treated with medical marijuana.
Scott said her father applied for his medical marijuana card last September. Scott left a successful career as a recruiting consultant to start up PharmaCannis. Her husband, Teddy Scott, is the CEO of PharmaCannis. Teddy Scott has a law degree and his Ph.D in molecular physics.
"We look at this as an opportunity to help critically ill patients," Norah Scott said.
Organized Chaos
When Scheidt first opened his medical marijuana dispensary in Colorado, there were no rules on the number of dispensaries allowed within a geographic region. That's why, the area soon became over-saturated with medical marijuana dispensaries and there was not enough business coming into his dispensary. He was forced to close.
Things will be different in Illinois. The state only issued licenses for 60 retail stores and 21 growing facilities and that is all based on geographic locations, according to the Chicago Tribune. The state received a total of 369 applications.
PharmaCannis must pass its final inspection from the state before it is given the OK to open. And from there, it will be a matter of waiting for its marijuana to be harvested. And for their patients to receive their state-mandated medical marijuana cards. That is all expected to happen in the next couple weeks as the dispensary hopes to open in early November.
"It's a little chaotic right now," Scheidt said.
News Moderator: Jacob Redmond 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: A Look Inside One Suburban Medical Marijuana Company
Author: Amie Schaenzer
Contact: Contact Patch
Photo Credit: PharmaCannis
Website: Patch
