Zanesville couple to open Backroad Wellness in Cambridge
Backroad Wellness is set to open in Guernsey County, the first medical marijuana (MMJ) dispensary to be located in the area. Owners Pat and Deb Hennessey of Zanesville decided to throw their hat in the ring for the dispensary lottery more than two years ago after seeing how far local patients had to travel for their medicine.
"I have a good friend that has cancer, and she was having to travel [for her MMJ]. You start talking to other people about how some of these products really help their situation and the opportunity was there," Deb said.
The Hennessey family has worked in the trucking industry for years and has been working toward opening the dispensary for the last two. They were awarded three licenses in the state-run lottery and chose Cambridge for one of their new locations. The other two will stores will be located in Lima and New Boston, Ohio.
When the dispensary is fully staffed, it will mean 19 new jobs coming to Cambridge. The staff is required to take numerous courses, regulated by the state in order to work. Some of these courses are on the state's use of the metric system to manage products, and some are to teach employees how to recognize the signs of substance abuse.
"I'm amazed at the passion that these kids have that work in the processing plants, the grow companies ... they are so passionate about what they're doing," Deb said.
The couple met with Cambridge City Council about the dispensary and said "Everybody has been great, very positive," Pat said. According to the owners, Guernsey County officials seemed pleased about the tax revenue the dispensary would generate.
There is no set opening date, as they still have to have the final state inspection. All dispensaries in Ohio must have a certificate of operation from the State of Ohio Board of Pharmacy. Plans are to be open for business sometime in early April.
Once operational, patients will no longer have to travel to one of the farther dispensaries for their needs. Currently, Guernsey County MMJ patients have to drive anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour away to access the nearest dispensary. Until now, Coshocton, Marietta, Newark, and Steubenville locations have been providing services to Guernsey and Muskingum county patients.
When a new or current patient enters a dispensary they have to show a current, valid form of state-issued identification along with their current MMJ recommendation from a certified physician before entering the secured area.
Patients who are interested in obtaining a medical card must first be seen by a physician who is certified to recommend marijuana. There are 221 certified physicians in the state of Ohio, but only one in Guernsey County and two in Muskingum. Once approved, the physician creates a patient profile in the Ohio Patient and Caregiver Registry.
Patients must also have a qualifying condition in order to be approved for MMJ use. In Ohio, there are 25 approved conditions that include cancer, Crohn's Disease, pain that is either chronic and severe or intractable, post-traumatic stress disorder, and epilepsy. A full list of approved conditions can be found by visiting the State Medical Board of Ohio website. A searchable map of certified physicians can also be accessed from the site.
Focusing on a positive patient experience
For first-time patients, entering a dispensary can be intimidating. The Backroad Wellness staff are prepared to help. Once inside, patients will have the chance to have a personal consultation with a staff member to answer any questions and help determine which method of ingestion best suits their needs and which type of product to utilize. Oils, tinctures, plant materials, edibles, lotions, creams, and patches are currently the only legal ways to use MMJ in Ohio. Smoking marijuana is not allowed in the state, but inhalation through vaporization is.
Staff at the dispensary are prohibited from recommending a physician but can guide patients to resources that can assist with any physician-related questions.
The Hennesseys are committed to keeping things as local as possible. Products from GrowOhio, located off of Maysville Pike in Zanesville will be featured, as well as items from other producers such as Vapen, BeneLeaves and Klutch. During the first month, the dispensary is open, they plan to offer a 30 percent discount on Ohio-based brands and a 20 percent discount on their multi-state partners like Curaleaf, Verano, and Cresco.
Patients have the ability to choose from a variety of forms of MMJ. Sour hard candies, chocolate bars, flavored syrups, and different strains of plant materials are just a few choices. Each product can alleviate other symptoms, but narrowing it down to what works best for each person can include a bit of trial and error.
Once open, the hours for the dispensary will be from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday. It is located at 5748 Glenn Highway, Cambridge. For more information visit the Backroad Wellness Facebook page or visit their website at http://www.backroadwellness.com. Those wishing to learn more about Ohio's medical marijuana program can visit the Ohio Medical Marijuana Control Program website at https://medicalmarijuana.ohio.gov.
This article originally appeared on The Daily Jeffersonian: Zanesville couple to open Backroad Wellness in Cambridge
