2 new medical marijuana dispensaries set to soon open in Centre County. Here’s what we know
Two new medical marijuana dispensaries are planning to open within Centre County early next year, tripling the number of county dispensaries from one to three, according to representatives at the respective companies.
The businesses are set to open at the former location of Home D Pizzeria (1820 S. Atherton St.) and the old site of Citizens Bank (1248 S. Atherton St.), both in the State College area.
Verilife — whose parent company, PharmaCann, produces cannabis products — is finishing up construction at 1820 S. Atherton St. It is working toward getting its final inspection approval by the Department of Health and, while it plans to open no later than March, it could potentially open as early as next month.
“We don’t have a specific date for opening, but we’re getting closer,” Verilife spokesperson Beth Coronelli told the CDT. “We’re excited to serve the community and to bring a diverse menu of products.”
Curaleaf, which operates in 23 states, has received the necessary permits from the Centre Region Coding Agency to begin interior renovations at 1248 S. Atherton St. A Curaleaf spokesperson said the location should open in “early 2022” — but declined to offer a more specific timetable.
Neither company offered details about number of employees, nor product offerings that could be available at the new locations. But both said more information would become available as their respective grand openings draw nearer.
Verilife operates in a half-dozen states and boasts seven dispensary locations in Pennsylvania, with the closest to Centre County now in Williamsport. Curaleaf has a dozen dispensaries in the commonwealth, with plans to soon open three more outside of State College. The closest Curaleaf dispensary to Centre County is now in Altoona, on East Pleasant Valley Boulevard.
Those looking to purchase medical marijuana in Pennsylvania — whether ointment, pills, vaporizers, flower (traditional), etc. — first need to register through the state’s Medical Marijuana Registry, and then have a physician certify they suffer from one of the qualifying medical conditions (e.g. anxiety, cancer, PTSD). Those approved must then pay $50 for a medical marijuana ID card, before being allowed entrance to a dispensary.
Gov. Tom Wolf signed the medical marijuana bill into law in 2016. By 2018, medical marijuana became available in the commonwealth — with Centre County’s first dispensary, Nature’s Medicines (2105 N. Atherton St.), opening in the summer of 2018.
More than 630,000 patients and caregivers are currently registered in Pennsylvania’s medical marijuana program, based on data provided by the state in August. Centre County officially has nearly 6,000 registered patients, although it wasn’t immediately known how Penn State students were counted.
There are more than 125 such dispensaries in Pennsylvania. And those dispensaries have collectively generated more than $2 billion in sales since 2018.
