For the vast majority of Americans, Lancaster (Lanc-kisster), Pennsylvania is largely recognized, if recognized at all, as the “Home of the Amish.” It is a small county located in South Central Pennsylvania that’s renowned for its rolling hills, beautiful farmland, and rich heritage.
Perhaps others recall Lancaster from their middle school history class. On a single day in September of 1777, Lancaster was declared the capital of the developing nation after a crushing military defeat at the hands of the British in Philadelphia, the City of Brotherly Love.
For Lancastrians, the county and city in particular is home to an expanding, culturally diverse community. Due to its relative affordability and proximity to major cities such as Philadelphia, Baltimore, DC and NYC, Lancaster’s population continues to grow and diversify. This has resulted in a shift of the ideological consensus from traditional, conservative values toward more inclusive and progressive values — such as the legalization of recreational cannabis.
Legalization in Pennsyltucky
The process of legalizing cannabis in Pennsylvania has been slow and laborious. This is due in part to the ideological differences of the urban and rural divide felt across the Keystone State.
The momentum to not only decriminalize but legalize recreational cannabis consumption in Pennsylvania is largely attributed to the tireless work of enthusiasts and politicians in urban communities. Advocates for cannabis condemn the way cannabis policing disproportionately impacts poor and minority communities — especially those communities of color.
Democrat Gov. Tom Wolf is an advocate for recreational cannabis legalization and restorative justice. He has rallied for bipartisan support to pursue reform only to be met with stark opposition by the Republican-controlled legislature. This was true until April of 2016, however, when Wolf signed Senate Bill 3 (SB3). SB3, or Pennsylvania’s Compassionate Medical Cannabis Legislation, has allowed the use of cannabis with a physician’s approval for treatment of 17 qualifying conditions.
Small Steps Forward | Medical Cannabis Dispensaries
Since then, medical dispensaries have popped up across Pennsylvania. In my home town of Lancaster, for example, three dispensaries have emerged within a 15 minute drive from each other: Those include Cure Lancaster, The Apothecarium, and Vytal Options. Though they share a common goal — to educate and medicate the patients of Lancaster County — their operations and philosophy differ.
To obtain a Medical Cannabis ID Card in Pennsylvania and visit a medical dispensaries as a patient, an individual must:
- Register on the state health department’s website
- See an approved practitioner to get certified
- Pay for your Medical ID card
Once a patient has their card in hand, they can visit a dispensary, order online or via the phone.
Cure Lancaster
Cure Lancaster is the area’s first dispensary. It has been in operation since March of 2018. Cure is located slightly northwest of Lancaster City, in the middle of Lancaster County. As the region’s first medical dispensary, Cure had the opportunity to create the road map for dispensaries in Lancaster. The operations at Cure are clinical in nature and patient-focused. They always have a medical professional on staff, for example. Patient consultants are highly knowledgeable employees who invite patients to complimentary consultations and also facilitate the ordering process.
Compared to its counterparts, Cure’s greatest strength and weakness is their supply chain. Cure does not have its own cultivation site, and instead sells a variety of products from local groweries and cannabis businesses. Upon starting the business, diversifying their menu selection allowed them to build their customer base rapidly. Over time, however, the inability to produce their own product presented a missed opportunity for additional revenue.
Joe Wentzell, Cure’s regional director, explained via email that Cure’s philosophy is firmly rooted in social equity and restorative justice. As such, they allocate a portion of their proceeds to organization’s including the Last Prisoner Project, an organization committed to freeing every last prisoner of the unjust War on Drugs.
Some brands the company carries include:
Dr. Solomon’s
Ilera
Nira+
Pax
Puffco
Remedi
Standard Farms
Terrapin
Whole Plants
The Apothecarium
The Apothecarium was the second full-service dispensary in Lancaster County. Located southeast of Lancaster City, The Apothecarium resides along U.S. Route 30 on Lancaster’s renown Lincoln Highway Shopping Strip. According to The Apothecarium’s website, their dispensaries emphasize education and customer service for older adults, first-time dispensary visitors, and patients with serious medical conditions.
Unlike Cure, The Apothecarium’s business model is vertically integrated. Not only do they sell a diverse array of infused goods from local goweries, but they also have their own line of products.
I was unable to reach a representative from The Apothecarium to get an understanding of their social equity or restorative justice efforts.
Some brands the company carries include:
1937 Cannabis
Agri-Kind
gLeaf
Remedi
The Bank
Vireo
Vytal Options
Vytal Options is the newest dispensary to open in Lancaster and it’s conveniently located in the heart of the city. The dispensary believes the medical cannabis experience is intensely personal. Therefore, they promise personalized consultations, and meticulously chosen products for the individual’s specific needs.
Vytal Options’ operation model, like that of the Apothecarium, is also vertically integrated. They grow and sell their own flower in addition to an array of other locally grown goods.
I also reached out to Vytal Options about their social justice efforts, but did not hear back before press time.
Some brands the company carries include:
Vytal
Insta
Calypso
Kind Tree
Liberty Cannabis
Rythm
Full out Legalization is on the Horizon
Progress is progress, but Pennsylvania has a long way to go until the state fully legalizes cannabis. In the meantime, we find hope in our elected officials like Gov. Wolf, who in his 2021 Supplementary Legislative Plan stated:
“Pennsylvania has built a successful medical marijuana program through bipartisan work, [and now] it’s time to take the next step and legalize recreational marijuana in the commonwealth with an emphasis on helping businesses and restorative justice.”
In 2021, several cities in Pennsylvania have already passed or are in the process of passing local ordinances to decriminalize cannabis. For example, those include: Allentown, Philadelphia, Norristown, Erie, Pittsburgh, Harrisburg, York and Lancaster.
Although Pennsylvania has made great strides in legalizing cannabis, there is still work to be done. Strict regulations and costs have made receiving a medical ID expensive and time consuming. Not to mention, product prices are higher relative to the product prices in our neighboring states.
Because there is access to dispensaries in Lancaster, it is an anomaly in Pennsylvania. In terms of the amount of dispensaries in the state, there are only 62 statewide, according to the marketing experts at Kisi. Pennsylvania ranks 22nd of the 33 states with medical or recreational cannabis for dispensaries per capita.
As Lancaster continues to expand its market, Lancasterians can expect to see a greater variety of products at lower prices.
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