The Medical Cannabis Act, passed by the WV Legislature and signed into law by Governor Jim Justice in 2017, has enabled thousands of state residents with qualifying medical conditions to access a new option for treatment, according to a news release from the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources.
Patients must have qualifying “severe or chronic conditions,” the news release stated. The Office of Medical Cannabis has approved more than 7,000 applications for medical cannabis cards.
To date, nine dispensaries, two processors, and six growers are operational across West Virginia.
“The medical cannabis industry has created 332 direct jobs in West Virginia, with an additional job growth of 1,884 positions in the fields of commercial construction, security services, and transportation,” said Jason Frame, director of the WVDHHR’s office of Medical Cannabis. “As the medical cannabis industry continues to expand, opportunities for employment and patient care in West Virginia will also grow. Additionally, all products dispensed have been cultivated within West Virginia’s borders at medical cannabis growth and processing facilities.”
To learn more, visit omc.wv.gov.