Chandler's first medical marijuana dispensary made its official debut Friday with quite an incentive.
The Herbal Wellness Center gave away free pot, up to 1/8 of an ounce, to every patient that made a purchase. It was part of the company's Grand Opening celebration. The promotion worked, and a steady stream of medical marijuana card holders filed into the clinic.
The owner of Herbal Wellness near Arizona Avenue near Hunt Highway, Rami Sweis, said he saw a need for a center in the southeast Valley. According to Sweis, approximately 4,000 people in the Chandler area have a medical marijuana card. Sweis expects even more people will register for one now that the clinic is open, because he said it will be convenient for residents.
Arizona is one of 23 states in the country that have medical marijuana programs. It's an unorthodox business, not just for the obvious reason of providing an illegal recreational narcotic, but also because marijuana is still prohibited under federal law. It's a Schedule I substance and distributing it is a federal offense, though the President urged federal prosecutors to not prosecute anyone selling medical marijuana in a state that allows it.
The federal aspect also complicates matters, because many banks refuse to work with dispensaries for fear of a federal crackdown. Since they can't use credit card machines, every transaction is cash only.
The Herbal Wellness Center has security guards at the door for protection. A number of security cameras are also pointed all around the property, inside and out.
The Chandler location is the second location for the company. The other is at 40th Avenue and Indian School in Phoenix.
Between the two centers, they said they hope to employ up to 200 people by the end of the year.
