Pubdate: Tue, 17 Jan 2017
Source: Daily Item (Sunbury, PA)
Copyright: 2017 The Daily Item
Contact:  http://www.dailyitem.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1045
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal)
Author: Marcia Moore

VALLEY GROUP TO COMPETE FOR STATE POT LICENSE

A group of Northumberland County-based entrepreneurs hope to weed out the
competition and get one of the two available licenses for operating a
medical marijuana dispensary in the Valley.

The main principals of Medical Marijuana Corp. are William E. Rosini,
president of Rosini Enterprises, and Shannon D. Rosini, both of Paxinos;
Annette Rosini MacLachlan, a former county resident now living in West
Chester; Stephen Jacobs, of Shamokin and Christopher Walters, of Mount
Carmel.

The state is offering permits for growers and dispensaries in each of six
regions across the state.

Applications from the state became available online today and the
monthlong application period begins Feb. 20. State Department of Health
officials expect to receive about 900 applications for 27 dispensaries and
12 grower permits.

"Our goal is to be a company that will provide our communities with a
legally prescribed medical option of marijuana for a variety of ai Iments
that the state permits," the group said in a prepared statement provided
by Jacobs.

He said they hope their close ties to the Valley will set them apart from
other applicants.

Pennsylvania passed a law last year allowing patients to take medical
marijuana by pill, oil, vapor, ointment or liquid.

Jacobs and Walters are coowners of Black Hills Vapes in Shamokin, so "a
medical marijuana dispensary seems to be a natural progression," in the
business, the statement said.

Medical Marijuana Corp. has reached out to several municipalities,
including a tentative introduction with Monroe Township in Snyder County,
said township zoning officer Rick Bailey.

Snyder County Commissioner Joe Kantz said the board has not yet been
formally approached by any proposed grower or dispensary operator, but
he's heard there is interest.

"I've received three calls from land owners and property developers in the
past week," he said.

Commissioner Malcolm Derk said the board is scheduled to meet soon with an
individual who has a plan to pitch.

"There are rumors that jobs will be created, so we need to hear the whole
story," said Derk, who said he'll be researching the law to more clearly
understand the issue.

The Pennsylvania Medical Cannabis Society, a trade group representing
potential growers and dispensers, estimates the new industry will help
relieve the pain of about 250,000 patients and create more than 2,500
jobs.

The management team of Medical Marijuana Corp wants to create jobs and
help to patients prescribed medical marijuana for ailments including
chronic pain, epilepsy, cancer treatment-related nausea and post-traumatic
stress disorder.

"Another reason for our interest is that we firmly believe the medical
marijuana industry can greatly help in addressing the recent drug epidemic
in our region (by offering a safer pain management alternative). Our area
has seen an alarming increase in opiate overdose deaths recently which has
been having a devastating impact in our community," the statement said.

The group has hired an unnamed Colorado consulting firm to aid in building
the proposed business. If approved, the dispensary will employ a
full-time, on-site pharmacist.

"Our hope is that we find a municipality and a county that is excited for
us to be part of the community," the group's statement said. "Our goal is
to have an operation that will meet or exceed the state requirements for
security. This is an industry that is long overdue and we want to help the
people with the greatest need in a community that is receptive to our
business, we do not want to be a burden but rather a welcomed partner."
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