Medical Marijuana Treatment Center dispensing locations will be coming to Osceola County, despite a moratorium.
- Medical marijuana dispensaries coming to Osceola
- The Green Solution granted the three certificates
- RELATED: Medical marijuana coverage
Gary Thompson has been using medical marijuana since it became legal.
"It's been able to help me with my back pain… It's been able to help me with my anxiety," Thompson said.
He's looking forward to three medical marijuana dispensaries coming to town.
"It's going to save me from having to go to Orange County to take care of any business matter,” Thompson explained. “Stay here in Osceola County; I mean, it's just going to make life easier daily."
Thompson gets some services in Osceola County but hasn't been able to get the actual drug. He’s a Green Relief patient. This is a one-stop shop clinic in Kissimmee that helps patients get their medical marijuana card. It also has other health services, but you can't actually buy medical marijuana.
The president for Green Relief Kerry Barasatie told Spectrum News 13 they have more than 420 patients that are in desperate need of dispensaries.
"I think that it’s amazing it’s coming to Osceola County. I think this is something that should have been done a year ago,” Barasatie said.
Now that's changing.
San Felasco Nurseries, doing business as The Green Solution (TGS), was granted three certificates -- one for each location they will open in Osceola County -- after a one-year wait and a formal demand. The delay came from a temporary moratorium the county had put in place.
However, TGS met the requirements prior to that. So now a settlement agreement allows TGS to open its dispensaries and in return, they won't take legal action against the county.
"The perception is sometimes reality. But rest assured that these are going to be in three areas,” said Osceola County Commissioner Viviana Janer. “Not in close proximity to our schools, and they're going to act and look more like a pharmacy."
Commissioners also enacted a new ban on any facilities, but Thompson says he's just grateful at least three dispensaries made the cut.
"It's been the best change over for me, and I hope to see it for everybody in Osceola County," he added.
The Osceola moratorium impacts unincorporated areas — local cities can make their own decisions.
Spectrum News 13 reached out to TGS and they said they plan to open dispensaries as soon as possible to begin servicing patients. The dispensaries are intended to be located in the following addresses:
- 4967 W Irlo Bronson Mem Hwy, Kissimmee 34746
- 2631 E Irlo Bronson Mem Hwy, Kissimmee 34744
- Parcel 32-25-29-4650-0001-0034 (S John Young Parkway, near the intersection of SJYP and Pleasant Hill Rd)