The final dispensary allowed under Vermont’s medical marijuana law is about to open.
Southern Vermont Wellness will begin serving patients this week in the town of Brattleboro, joining the state’s three other existing dispensaries in Brandon, Burlington and Montpelier.
The move could fuel efforts to boost the current cap on dispensaries and introduce other industry-friendly changes to the state’s medical marijuana program.
Vermont currently allows four dispensaries, but a bill to raise that number to six is currently working its way through the state Senate. The measure would also allow dispensaries to deliver medical cannabis to homes, increase the amount of marijuana they are allowed to grow and eliminate a cap on the number of patients who can buy from such centers.
Currently, the state allows no more than 1,000 patients to register with dispensaries. Once that cap is reached, the all other patients will have to grow their own or get it from caregivers.
Nearly 1,020 patients have joined the state’s medical marijuana registry, 642 of which have registered with a dispensary.