Quantcast

The DNAinfo archives brought to you by WNYC.
Read the press release here.

5 More Medical Marijuana Companies Cleared to Open Dispensaries in NYC

By Katie Honan | August 3, 2017 12:26pm

NEW YORK CITY — New York's medical marijuana field is growing, with five more companies now licensed to open dispensaries — including locations in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens, according to the State Department of Health.

The state announced Tuesday that NY Canna, Fiorello Pharmaceuticals, Valley Agriceuticals, Citiva Medical and PalliaTech NY can open both manufacturing outposts and shops across the state.

It will hopefully increase patient access and "geographic distribution" of facilities, state Department of Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker said.

As of Tuesday, there were more than 25,700 patients and more than 1,130 practitioners taking part in the state's medicinal marijuana program. The addition in March of chronic pain as a qualifying condition for treatment has seen a 70 percent increase in patients, officials said. 

"The addition of these registered organizations will make it easier for patients across the state to obtain medical marijuana, improve the affordability of medical marijuana products through the introduction of new competition, and increase the variety of medical marijuana products available to patients," Zucker said.

RELATED
Queens' Only Medical Marijuana Site Seeks to Overturn 'Stigma' of Use
Medical Marijuana Dispensary Will Soon Call Murray Hill Home

All five will open shops in the city, with Fiorello Pharmaceuticals authorized to open a dispensary in Manhattan.

Valley Agriceuticals and Citiva will both open Brooklyn dispensaries.

And Pallia and NYCanna will open dispensaries somewhere in Queens, officials said. 

The companies manufacture marijuana elsewhere in the state, including Onandaga, Orange and Ulster counties.

Since authorizing medicinal marijuana in 2015, the state has also expanded to include home delivery and allowing nurse practitioners and physician assistants to certify patients. 

The new facilities will expand on the state's five existing registered organizations, which currently operate facilities across the city.