First peek inside Delaware’s marijuana Compassion Center

Delaware’s first medical marijuana facility prepares to open its doors later this month.  Today, media outlets were given a tour.

The First State Compassion Center is located in an industrial park at 37 Germany Drive in Wilmington.

There are still a few finishing touches before the first patients come to the facility on June 26th. Currently there is no signage outside the facility to announce its presence.  That will change by opening day.

The operators insist when the Compassion Center opens it won’t be a cheap way to get high. Only valid, card holding patients will be allowed into the building after first passing through stringent security measures. Caretakers must register with the state to accompany patients.  Officials say more than 300 people are certified to participate in the program.

Much like a traditional pharmacy, patients will purchase their medical marijuana on site. 

Joel Allcock, Vice President of Cultivation at First State Compassion Center says those seeking assistance are coping with chronic and terminal illnesses like cancer, Alzheimer’s, HIV/AIDS and MS.  “I think people would be surprised if they were to come through here on opening day or any day that we’re open. The typical patient profile isn’t 25 to 35 year old white male with dreadlocks and Grateful Dead shirt on.  The patients that we will serve are legitimate patients,” says Allcock.

A first glace of the facility shows a waiting room area set up much like any other medical office.

State law prohibits the consumption of the medical marijuana on site.   Patients will receive guidelines on how to consume the cannabis. 

Medical marijuana isn’t covered by insurance, so patients will be paying out of pocket.  Patients are also limited on how much they can possess. According to Allcock, the facility is only allowed to dispense three ounces of marijuana to a patient every 15 days.  All of the medical marijuana products are made at the facility.

Registered patients are scheduled to attend an orientation about the do’s and don’ts of the program on June 18th and 19th.  The First State Compassion Center officially opens on June 26th.  It will operate Monday through Friday from 10:30a.m. – 6:30p.m. and Saturdays from 10:00a.m. – 4:00p.m.