By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
It’s been more than two years of jumping through hoops, but local patients who benefit from medical marijuana will be able to pick up the medication in Bowling Green next week.
Soothe Dispensary has passed its final inspection and received its certificate of operation from the Ohio Board of Pharmacy’s Medical Marijuana Control Program.
So patients should be able to pick up medical marijuana at the dispensary starting sometime next week.
The opening of Soothe, at 1155 N. Main St., Bowling Green, has been a long time coming, according to owner Mark Jacobs, an attorney from Toledo. Throughout the process, Jacobs has heard from people whose medical conditions are improved by using marijuana.
“For ailing patients who qualify for treatment with medical marijuana, the dearth of open dispensaries has been a bane,” the press release for Soothe stated.
“It’s been a long journey,” Jacobs said. “We’ve had lots of inquiries. We’ve been getting regular calls and emails. I think a lot of people are interested.”
Upon receiving certification Thursday, the dispensary put in its order for medical marijuana – which should arrive next week.
“Our intention is to be able to serve patients,” Jacobs said. “Soothe isn’t just our name, it’s our mission.”
The following forms of medical marijuana will be permitted: oils, tinctures, plant material, edibles and patches. The law prohibits the use of medical marijuana by smoking or combustion, but does allow for vaporization (vaping).
“Everything that will be sold here will be prepared,” Jacobs said.
In order to get the marijuana, patients must be put on a registry by a certified physician. Patients will be able to present a card to Soothe employees when they request marijuana. The site will employ seven to 10 people.
Soothe has a licensed pharmacist, staff who can consult with patients about the best form of marijuana for their use, and security staff.
Soothe Dispensary will be open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The Ohio Medical Marijuana Control Program went into effect with House Bill 523, which legalized medical marijuana in Ohio to be dispensed to state-approved patients and caregivers by medical marijuana dispensaries authorized by The State of Ohio Board of Pharmacy. Visit www.medicalmarijuana.ohio.gov for more details.
The Bowling Green dispensary is the only medical marijuana site in the three-county region of Wood, Hancock and Henry counties.
“The whole point is, we have patients who need this medication,” Jacobs said.
There are currently 21 medical conditions that qualify for use of medical marijuana. Jacobs said he is unsure how many patients live in the Wood County area.
“We’ve had a number of inquiries,” from people in need of medical marijuana who have been wondering when the Bowling Green location will be open. “We’ve been wondering the same thing,” he said.
Doctors must register with the state, which will require completing some type of continuing education about cannabis, before being able to recommend marijuana to patients with whom they have bona fide relationships. A physician is not permitted to recommend medical marijuana use until the physician has obtained a certificate from the State Medical Board of Ohio.
Certified physicians may recommend medical marijuana only for the treatment of a qualifying medical condition. Under Ohio law, all of the following are qualifying medical conditions: AIDS, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, chronic traumatic encephalopathy, Crohn’s disease, epilepsy or another seizure disorder, fibromyalgia, glaucoma, hepatitis C, inflammatory bowel disease, multiple sclerosis, pain that is either chronic and severe or intractable, Parkinson’s disease, positive status for HIV, post-traumatic stress disorder, sickle cell anemia, spinal cord disease or injury, Tourette’s syndrome, traumatic brain injury, and ulcerative colitis.
Individuals can petition the state medical board to add conditions.
All medical marijuana patients and their caregivers are required to register with the State Board of Pharmacy. Patients can apply on the soothebg.com website.
