The state’s medical marijuana business is growing, with six new dispensing facilities coming to the city.
Five new organizations have been approved to manufacture and dispense medical marijuana, the state Health Department announced Tuesday.
They join five existing organizations approved prior to the start of the state’s program in January 2016.
“The addition of these registered organizations will make it easier for patients across the state to obtain medical marijuana, improve the affordability of medical marijuana products through the introduction of new competition, and increase the variety of medical marijuana products available to patients,” said state Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker in a statement.
Officials said there are 25,736 certified patients in the state medical marijuana program. That number jumped 72 percent since chronic back pain was approved as a qualifying condition in March.
As a result, the new organizations will open several new dispensing facilities around the state along with six in the city: two in Brooklyn, two in Queens, one in Manhattan and one in Staten Island.
The new dispensaries will open after completing site inspections by the Health Department, the agency said.
According to the state Department of Health website, there are currently four dispensing facilities in New York City: two in Manhattan, one in Queens and one in the Bronx.
