Page 13 - the NOISE October 2013

on 17 June, Greenhouse of Flagstaff mandatory audits, regulations constantly
opened its doors for business, one of 35 dispensaries scattered across Arizona and the fourth operating within Flagstaff and its surrounding areas (the others being High Mountain Health, Green Pharmacy, and route 66 Wellness Center in Williams).
Confidently inviting potential clients to “discover the way medical cannabis should
be,” Greenhouse — a not-for-profit organiza- tion overseen by a small board of directors working in conjunction with a medical direc- tor — strives to offer qualified patients the opportunity to receive high-quality medica- tion from a trustworthy establishment, one operating with complete adherence to state and local ordinances.
In addition to this service, Brandon Her- mansky, a founding member of Greenhouse who manages the day-to-day operations, aims to impart his philosophy and insight regarding Arizona’s medical marijuana pro- gram to anyone eager for more information on the prevalent and divisive issue, qualified patient or otherwise.
As a not-for-profit organization, the Green- house team views themselves as a resource for the Flagstaff community, always main- taining a focus on education and holistic ser- vices. Medical cannabis, they stress, is only one component of the services they provide. To the members of Greenhouse, educating the public and community about medical marijuana is just as important.
One popular notion that Mr. Hermansky seeks to remedy is the idea that establish- ing and maintaining a dispensary in Arizona is an uncomplicated task, one that any im- becile with a penchant for marijuana and money-making can easily accomplish; the Arizona Department of Health Services ensures that that is not the case. Not only is the process by which seriously or terminally ill patients receive their state-issued registry identification cards lengthy and scrutiniz- ing, medical marijuana dispensaries must undergo equally comprehensive and recur- ring examinations in order to legally serve the public.
“People expect students and teenagers to be lined out the door, cards in hand,” Mr. Hermansky states, “but there are permits,
keeping things in check. It’s a cool business and something I’m passionate about, but it’s absolutely not a reckless, get-rich quick scheme.”
rather than students or teenagers, the vast majority of patients receiving their medication from Greenhouse are aged 50 and above, with cancer and chronic pain be- ing the two most prevalent reasons justify- ing their prescriptions. Partnered with a net- work of medical professionals, together they are able to guide their patients toward treat- ment options specifically tailored to them.
“In our short time here we have had the amazing pleasure of watching people dras- tically reduce their dependence on opiates and sleeping pills,” Mr. Hermansky reports,
“and this is our main focus for being involved in the industry: to give people options that can lead to a much healthier and more posi- tive way of life while dealing with their illness.”
As Mr. Hermansky continually stresses, the opportunity to provide patients with these options is a daunting process. Any poten- tial medical marijuana clinic must supply in-depth documentation before being con- sidered for approval of a Registration Cer- tificate, including documentation of prop- erty owner approval, compliance with local jurisdiction zoning, principal officer and board member attestation, and fingerprint- ing: all this before submitting an Approval to Operate Application, acquired only after the Department of Health Services receives written notice from the potential dispensary that they are ready for inspection. Only after these rigorous steps have been completed can a dispensary open its doors to the public, and even then, they are subject to recurring, mandatory audits, which curtail any poten- tial abuse of privileges.
“True, there are people looking to sidestep regulations,” Mr. Hermansky acknowledges, “but you just have to be smart ... which Ari- zona certainly is. Of the hundreds of patient applications, maybe a handful actually get approved. And no prescription, no medicine.
Simple as that.”
>> Continued on 37 >>
NEWSfeature
thenoise.us • the NOISE arts & news
• october 2013 • 13