Support Your Local Pa Cannabis in the Upcoming Dispensary Permit Application Process.
Now that Pennsylvania has joined half of the states in the country to receive medical marijuana investments, the floodgates will be open to big money interests who specialize in taking control of the newly emerging recreational and medical marijuana industries. These investors, Colorado companies, and business conglomerates are buying up ownership in marijuana growing and dispensing operations in every new state that legalizes medical therapies. This may be a scary sign for consumers, who always get the short end of the stick when it comes to healthcare costs.
Big pharmaceutical companies, the original creators of the unethically over-priced prescription medication model, are sending their own representatives out to try and get in on the ground floor in each state. If the big pharma money interests succeed in infiltrating the medical marijuana business in Pennsylvania, the predictable result will be wildly-inflated prices, attempts to set up anti-competitive alliances, and a general downgrading of the healthcare purposes of the Pennsylvania Act. There are only a limited number of permits to go around.
If we let that happen, those who suffer will be the usual victims: struggling middle class and economically poorer families, children and adults needing expert medical treatment and therapies, and in general, all healthcare services consumers in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Our state lawmakers saw this danger early. They amended the law to encourage regulators to give full and equal access and adequate consideration to applicants that are primarily owned by minorities, women, and veterans.
The law is written to position these minority businesses on the ground floor as the new industry sets down its roots. The law also restricts ownership of the 50 dispensary permits – one person can only obtain up to 5 permits. With three sites to each permit, one person or entity could still buy up to a maximum of 15 dispensary sites right off the bat. The law also restricts the number of dispensaries that can be owned by growers with permits.
The law tries to prevent another big business boondoggle that extracts big profits and gives little in return. But the money cartels are planning to wipe out all of the small, local service-oriented dispensaries. They will try and use a big-money grab to seize all of the available permits. We see it happening in other states. Companies like PA Cannabis, which are dedicated to low prices and a customer-first operating culture, have a tough battle ahead, but our members are absolutely committed to standing firm.
The threat of monopolization is real. If it succeeds, the long-term effects could be devastating to the interests of the middle and poor working-class families in the Commonwealth. We have a long tradition in the Lehigh Valley area of growing up side-by-side with our local doctors and local health care providers. We’ve been fortunate in seeing the vast majority of our healthcare institutions remaining locally resourced and owned. That is why, for example, that the Lehigh Valley has some of the highest rated hospital services in the country.
We urge you to keep it that way. Pa Cannabis is a group of women and minority people who have lived here all our lives. We are not rich, but we are committed to getting the working people of the Lehigh Valley a real stake in sharing in these hopeful new treatments. If you are a local resident, we will keep the doors open for new investors. We are your neighbors, the consumer in the grocery store, the patient waiting in the emergency room next to your side. We believe in these approved medical treatments for every patient who qualifies. Every child saved from a life of debilitating pain will be a miracle well worth it all.
If you read our mission and purpose statement, you will see that we pledge never to artificially inflate our prices. Also, we pledge to maintain the highest professional quality of services to the consumer, and we will never be arrogant or uncaring in servicing our customers’ problems. Please help us to stay in the running for a dispensary permit by signing our Petition.
Thank you so much!!
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