The state's second medical marijuana dispensary will be opening this fall in Atlantic County.

Medical Marijuana
Uriel Sinai, Getty Images
loading...

The Compassionate Care Foundation is set for opening in Egg Harbor Township. CEO William Thomas says once they receive approvals to grow their product, they will be slated for a September 9th date.

"We hope to grow in this first batch 3,000 ounces, so we could service 500 patients a month. That's our target right now."

The facility will be opening slightly ahead of Compassionate Care Centers of America Foundation, Inc, which will be located in Woodbridge and be the third of six facilities approved by the state.

Compassionate Care Foundation's facility will be a major boon for patients, since they are the only facility which will be located in South Jersey. Currently, the only functioning dispensary is in Montclair, NJ.

Thomas says patients, who wish to make their facility their alternate treatment center of choice, must first register with the state. A process, which he says, can be accomplished with a single phone call.

Like with all dispensaries in the state, patients will be called in on an appointment bases where they will have the option of buying the marijuana- no more than two ounces a month. Patients must also pay a $200 registration fee good for two years.

Event though the state could see three facilities open before 2013 ends, Thomas isn't worried. The CEO believes the market for medicinal marijuana exceeds the state's 50,000 patient estimates.

"Currently there are 250,000 people who are receiving cancer treatment in the state. That's our population continues to grow, especially in the area of cancer because we have an aging population."

He also believes improved proximity will help patients who are otherwise too sick to get the medicine.

"I have been the CEO since the beginning, that's two and half years, and I get a call from a patient every day [asking when the dispensary will open]."

More From WPG Talk Radio 95.5 FM