A new medical marijuana dispensary opened its doors Friday in Smyrna.
The cannabis industry’s largest multi-state operator, Columbia Care, is opening Delaware’s third dispensary and the first in Kent County.
It will carry a portfolio of cured leaf products, as well as THC and CBD tinctures, vape oils and oral capsules—all from the company’s agriculture production facility in Milford.
CEO Nicholas Vita says Columbia Care has been working to set up shop in Delaware for years. He adds the state’s medical marijuana program is among the best.
“It’s a program that has always had its mission focus on the public good. It’s not about just revenue. It’s about really making sure the people who deserve access and deserve treatment are the ones who benefit the most,” said Vita.
Vita says the company chose the Smyrna location to fulfill an unmet need from the patient population. He points to several area health providers who have patients with qualifying conditions for medical marijuana.
“Anytime we can find a way to increase efficiency and sort of allow somebody to leverage their normal routine and incorporate us, we think that is a winning combination,” said Vita.
Delaware’s other two dispensaries in Wilmington and Lewes and operated by First State Compassion Centers.
According to the Division of Public Health about 17% of Delawareans enrolled in the state’s medical marijuana program live in Kent County.
