NYC dispensary is ready for Thursday’s marijuana launch

At least one New York City marijuana dispensary claims to be ready for the launch of the state’s medical marijuana program on Thursday.

As one of the five companies licensed to grow marijuana in New York, Columbia Care announced Monday that its Union Square dispensary will open on Thursday, the New York Daily News reported, adding that other dispensaries in Murray Hill, the Bronx and Queens have plans to open later this month.

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“Medical marijuana has been shown to be more effective treating a myriad of illnesses in comparison to standard pharmaceuticals,” Nicholas Vita, CEO of Columbia Care, said to CBS in a related article.

Marijuana will only be available in capsules, liquid cannabis and vaporizers, CBS added, also stating that medical marijuana will be used to treat 10 diseases including cancer, HIV/AIDS, Parkinson’s, epilepsy and various spinal cord injuries.

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In order to legally purchase medical marijuana, patients must first be certified by a state-approved physician then register with the Health Department to obtain a registry identification card, the Daily News reported.