Univec Inc (UNVC)

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Slim pickings in Pennsylvania

6 hours ago

Pennsylvania’s medical cannabis program hit the ground running, but high demand and a dearth of growers have strained the cannabis supply.

So state regulators are considering adding smokable flower to the list of approved MMJ products to help address the shortage.

Sara Gullickson, a cannabis application consultant with clients in Pennsylvania, believes the move to allow flower and dried leaves could cut out the processing time and help alleviate supply shortfalls.

“Adding smokable flower was also something that I envisioned for the future for Pennsylvania,” she said.

“But a lot of times you have to crawl before you walk.”

Pennsylvania’s cannabis shortage stems in part from the state’s push to have MMJ businesses up and running only six months after the law took effect, she said.

“It would have made more sense if they awarded cultivation licenses first, cultivators got up and running, and dispensaries were awarded after – which we’ve seen in other states,” Gullickson added.

She believes regulators didn’t want to see the program delayed as it rolled out, as has happened in several other MMJ states.

Pennsylvania’s MMJ demand is strong, and the program has support from doctors willing to recommend medical marijuana.

“The state did do a lot of right things,” Gullickson said, “but they ended up crippling the program because they have too many patients.”

Pennsylvania’s regulators are aware that 12 cultivators and 27 dispensaries aren’t going to be enough to supply the market, she said, so there’s talk about beginning Phase 2 in the next month to license more businesses.

In the meantime, Gullickson’s hopeful a few more MMJ cultivators could be coming online as soon as next week, “so we can get going.”

https://mjbizdaily.com/week-review-smokable-flower-pa-cannabis-air-transport-alaska-cbd-setback-idaho/