Massachusetts Issues the State’s First Dispensary Certificate

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health has officially issued the state’s first medical marijuana dispensary certificate of registration.

The dispensary certificate was given to Alternative Therapies Group, Inc., and will allow the company to begin growing marijuana for medical uses. The dispensary plans to begin cultivating immediately and hopes to open in the spring of 2015.

Before the company is allowed to sell or transport medical marijuana, it needs to undergo additional oversight, including state inspections of its transportation plans and testing of the marijuana from its first crop.

The dispensary will operate in Salem and a their cultivation center will be in Amesbury.

The awarding of the dispensary certificate comes more than two years after voters approved the state ballot which will allow up to 35 dispensaries to open and sell marijuana to qualifying patients with medical marijuana cards.