Jamestown’s Patient’s Pharmacy is preparing to move to a new location. The current pharmacy storefront will be utilized as a cannabis dispensary once the state approves licenses and regulations. Pictured is Diane Matthews, owner of Patient’s Pharmacy in Jamestown. P-J photo by Timothy Frudd

Jamestown’s Patient’s Pharmacy is preparing for a new phase of business in the cannabis industry.

Owner Diane Matthews explained that while her pharmacy business is preparing to move to a new location in the Dunn Tire plaza across from Runnings sometime in the next couple months, her son is preparing to launch a cannabis dispensary.

Matthews’s son, Timothy Scoma, is planning to open a cannabis dispensary in the building Patient’s Pharmacy currently uses for its retail space. While the dispensary is currently listed online under the name “Lifted,” the dispensary is waiting for the state to grant licenses and establish official regulations for the industry.

“That’s still just waiting for the state to make up their mind about regulations,” Matthews said. “We’re hoping that they allow applications for licenses.

They still haven’t come up with the regulations.”

According to Matthews, the state currently estimates that applications for dispensary licenses will be available by the end of the first quarter; however, she is not confident the state will follow through with this time table since “they’ve said that before.” Matthews said the dispensary was supposed to be ready for the Lucy Festival last year, but the state’s regulations were delayed.

Once the dispensary is licensed and approved by the state, Matthews said the business will be able to launch, as the building is already equipped to handle the necessary security measures of the dispensary.

“The building is secure,” she said. “There’s a security system in here that nobody has. We have cameras in places you don’t even see.”

Matthews believes the cannabis industry will benefit the Jamestown community. She views the cannabis industry as an opportunity for revitalization in Jamestown equal to the previous furniture industry that once rose to prominence in the Jamestown region.

“I think that young people need to step up and have a new industry that’s their base, that they want,” she said. “I think that this industry will help the tourism. It’s going to be a draw. People are going to want to come here, not only to go to the National Comedy Center, not only to go to the Lucy Museum, but we’re going to provide a lot of things that people are going to want to come here to do.”

While Matthews acknowledged that many people do not currently support the cannabis industry, she believes the medical benefits of cannabis could yield positive results for people with arthritis, glaucoma, anxiety, seizures and other challenges. Citing research on the benefits of cannabis, Matthews said there is a long list of potential benefits.

“I would say don’t be closed minded,” she said. “Think of it as an industry; think of it as helping your community grow. We have such a mass exodus of our kids leaving to go to another state for work. This could help. This could keep our kids here, this could provide opportunities. We need an industry, we need something here, and I think this is going to be the key.”

Matthews explained that having a licensed dispensary that tracks everything from “seed to sale” will provide an additional layer of safety for the community. With careful oversight of the dispensary’s products, Matthews said people will not have to worry about cannabis being “laced” with fentanyl or other dangerous drugs.

“In the pharmaceutical business, we have what is called track and trace,” she said. “Every time we buy a drug, it’s tracked from where my wholesaler got it to when it’s delivered here. Having a dispensary, it’s going to be the same way, just a different product.”