Official Newspaper of Eddy County since 1883
Official Newspaper of Eddy County since 1883
The North Dakota Department of Health (NDDoH) has established eight regions for medical marijuana dispensaries within the Medical Marijuana Program. The regions include a 50 mile radius surrounding eight cities within the state. The cities include: Fargo, Bismarck/Mandan, Grand Forks, Minot, Williston, Dickinson, Jamestown and Devils Lake. State law allows up to eight dispensaries to be registered by the NDDoH. A map can be found on the Division’s website at http://www.ndhealth.gov/MM.
“Medical marijuana dispensaries are the locations where registered qualifying patients and registered designated caregivers will be able to purchase usable marijuana under the state’s medical marijuana program,” said State Health Officer Mylynn Tufte. “By establishing eight regions, the North Dakota Department of Health is able to provide access to dispensaries to the majority of the population in the state with as minimal travel as possible.”
A dispensary can be located anywhere within one of the regions. While the same entity can apply in multiple regions, the proposed rules only allow the same entity to possess one registration certificate.
“Even though an open application period for dispensaries is several months away, the NDDoH wants to provide prospective dispensary applicants sufficient time to determine which region or regions they’d like to apply in,” stated Tufte. “This will also allow prospective applicants an opportunity to obtain certain approvals required by state law to submit an application. For example, an applicant must submit evidence of approval from local officials of compliance with local zoning laws.”
Under the NDDoH plan, qualifying patients will be able to obtain usable marijuana at any dispensary. However, the NDDoH will be tracking purchased amounts and qualifying patients will not be able to purchase more than 2.5 ounces of dried leaves and flowers and 2,000 mg of THC total from all other products every 30 days. Qualifying patients must have specific authorization from their health care provider in order to purchase dried leaves and flowers.
Under the proposed rules drafted by the NDDoH, dispensaries will have the option to deliver usable marijuana directly to a registered qualifying patient or registered designated caregiver anywhere within the state.
While state law authorizes six forms of usable marijuana, the availability of these forms at each dispensary will be determined by dispensaries and manufacturing facilities.
