 |
| Northern Virginia's cannabis dispensary is at 8100 Albertstone Circle, Manassas. [Beyond/Hello] |
Members of the public must first get official authorization before they can purchase medical cannabis, and Beyond/Hello requires online appointments.
The first step is getting a written certification from a health practitioner registered by the Virginia Board of Pharmacy. There are many registered practitioners in Northern Virginia, including physicians, psychiatrists, and nurse practitioners.
A parent or legal guardian may obtain a written certification for a minor or a patient who is incapacitated.
Practitioners don’t issue prescriptions for cannabis; instead, they can recommend medical cannabis for any diagnosed condition for which it might be helpful. That could be anything from chronic pain to cancer, anxiety to autism.
After receiving a certification, a patient must register with the Virginia Board of Pharmacy, by sending the board a copy of the certification and a copy of a Virginia driver’s license or other valid ID. The initial registration fee is $50 and there’s an annual $50 fee.
Related story: Virginia governor supports marijuana legalization
The board will mail the patient a Virginia Medical Cannabis ID Card. Only then, can a customer make an appointment with a Hello/Beyond pharmacist. Patients must bring the certification form from a healthcare provider, medical cannabis ID card, and a valid photo ID to the store.
Allowable products in Virginia include capsules, sprays, tinctures, oils, creams, gels, lozenges, lollipops, and inhalation products. Products can contain up to 10 mg THC per dose. Purchases are limited to a 90-day supply.
In 2017, the Virginia Board of Pharmacy authorized five vertically integrated cannabis providers across the state, one in each Health Service Area. Each provider is responsible for growing, extracting, dispensing, and delivering the product.
Beyond/Hello is the trade name for Dalitso LLC, which was awarded the contract in Virginia. Dalitso is majority-owned by Jushi Holdings, which operates cannabis businesses in Pennsylvania, Illinois, and California.
Beyond/Hello is the second cannabis dispensary in Virginia. Dharma Pharmaceuticals opened in Bristol in October. A shop in Richmond, called gLeaf, is opening soon, as is Columbia Care in Portsmouth.