nothin New Haven Independent | Safety A Top Priority As Medical Marijuana…

Safety A Top Priority As Medical Marijuana Dispensary Opens

From left, Joshua Storm, pharmacy technician; Colleen Higgins, pharmacist; Nick Tamborrino, manager and pharmacist; and Judy Stengel, pharmacy technician.

Pharmacists and technicians at Branford’s medical marijuana dispensary are working hard to ensure the safety of their patients as the Bluepoint Wellness of Connecticut facility opens this month. 

At the same time, Branford’s police chief is concerned about the location of the store and is taking measures to keep the area safe, he said. 

Bluepoint Wellness is located at 469 East Main St., in the rear portion of the Planet Fitness building. Six dispensaries, including the one in Branford, are opening this month and will be operational as soon as marijuana is shipped from the four licensed production facilities. The Branford dispensary is expected to draw most of its patients from the New Haven area.

Judy Stengel, a pharmacy technician at Bluepoint Wellness, has been setting up counseling appointments for patients who have been certified to purchase medical marijuana. People are so grateful this is becoming available,” she said. One woman was crying on the phone. She was overwhelmed.” 

Stengel said many people she spoke with said they have resorted to self-medicating with marijuana to relieve medical conditions. They have been buying it on the black market and that’s a scary thing to do,” Stengel said.

Patients suffering from debilitating conditions like multiple sclerosis, cancer or Parkinson’s disease will now be able to sit with a pharmacist and discuss marijuana treatment plans. 

That’s a big step up from the situation that patients are in now,” said Stengel, who is a Branford resident. They’re just grateful they will be getting something that’s pure and tested and that someone will be monitoring them,” she said. That’s what pharmacists are good at — figuring out what’s best for patient safety.”

The state legislature approved the medical marijuana program by a 117 – 64 vote in May 2012, and the governor signed it into law. There are approximately 2,000 state residents who have been certified to purchase medical marijuana. Patients may choose whichever of the six locations they wish to make their purchases, but they can only register at one of them. 

Keeping It Safe

People have a wide-range of reactions when medical marijuana is mentioned — some express concern about the safety of dispensing it and others joke about the medicinal” properties.

Pharmacist Nick Tamborrino, the founder and manager of Bluepoint Wellness, is working to educate the public about safety regulations and the medical use of marijuana.

He said the general public, and even some physicians, have misconceptions about medical marijuana.

The best way to combat the stigma is through education,” said Tamborrino, 38, a Fairfield resident who has a doctorate in pharmacy from the University of Connecticut.

He is quick to offer reassurance about the safety of the facility, which previously housed a beauty parlor and a massage therapy facility. It has undergone extensive renovations. The entrance to the facility (pictured) is very low-key, and there is no large sign advertising its presence. The state prohibits exterior signs on dispensaries from using marijuana brand names or using marijuana graphics.

“Safety has always been a priority for me,” Tamborrino said, adding that dispensaries have to adhere to strict state regulations regarding security. “We have a state-of-the-art security system in place.”

Patients, or a designated caregiver, must be registered with the state and must have an appointment before being allowed to enter the facility, which is locked at all times. All marijuana products must be kept in a safe, and Bluepoint Wellness does not sell any other items. The state allows a patient to purchase up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana per month.

“We’re not storing excessive amounts at any given time,” Tamborrino said.

Tamborrino anticipates serving about 300 patients per month. He said there are extensive security measures in the facility and in the parking lot. “Security is a priority at our facility and we treat it seriously,” he said.

The state Department of Consumer Protection (DCP), which has oversight over the program, awarded licenses to dispensary sites in Branford, Hartford, Bethel, Uncasville, Bristol and South Windsor. Production sites were licensed in West Haven, Portland, Simsbury and Watertown.

The DCP prohibits patients from using marijuana in vehicles, in the workplace, on school grounds, in the presence of anyone under age 18, in the dispensary facility, or in a public place.

Police React

As the new medical marijuana dispensary prepares to open, Branford Police Chief Kevin Halloran said he is concerned about the possibility of increased crime in the area near the marijuana distribution point.

Branford’s overall crime rate is low, but there are areas that concern the police and require additional patrols, especially at night.

In an interview with the Eagle, Halloran said he was especially concerned because the new medical marijuana facility is located near an area that police have identified as “a hot spot for criminal activity.”

At the same time Halloran said there are “sophisticated security procedures” in and around the store. He said representatives from Bluepoint asked to meet with him and he did. “They reviewed their security plans with me. There is robust security in place.” He said the video surveillance was impressive.

Halloran said police will be monitoring the general area and will be “deploying resources accordingly.”

Tamborrino said the chief informed him about his concerns, but said he hasn’t noticed “any unusual activity“in the area.  “I definitely feel safe in Branford.”

Tamborrino’s dispensary plans received unanimous approval from Branford’s Planning and Zoning (P&Z) Commission following a one-night public hearing last November. Click here to read about that. 

P&Z members approved the project, saying a pharmacy is a permitted use in that zone. However, they did stipulate one condition—that no drug paraphernalia be sold in the facility.

P&Z chair Ellsworth McGuigan expressed concern during the hearing about the safety of patients who exit the facility with their marijuana purchase. Tamborrino told him that there will be a security guard patrolling the interior and exterior of the dispensary and that there would be “a strong emphasis on safety.”

Chief Halloran said he wished he had been alerted to the public hearing so he could have attended.  “I wasn’t aware it was going to P & Z,” he said. “I wish I had been, so that I could have given my opinion,” he added.

Real Medicine

The state allows medical marijuana to be prescribed for patients suffering from several specific conditions such as cancer, glaucoma, HIV, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), epilepsy, and Crohn’s Disease.  Physicians must be certified by the state to prescribe marijuana, and patients must be certified by a physician. A primary caregiver can be certified if the patient is unable to travel to the dispensary. Patients must be state residents, and be at least 18 years old.

“There are a lot of doctors who aren’t comfortable with prescribing it yet,” said Tamborrino. “This is a real medicine.” 

Bluepoint Wellness will offer sessions for physicians to learn about medical marijuana. “We can teach the doctors and learn from each other,” he said

He said marijuana has specific effects that are beneficial for different diseases. It is prescribed for glaucoma patients because it decreases eye pressure. It helps cancer patients to be able to eat because it prevents nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy.

He said the general public is often skeptical about the need for medical marijuana. “All it takes is for someone who’s against this, is to know someone who uses medical marijuana to know the benefits,” he said. “When it helps a cancer patient keep food down, people say, ‘Wow, that is a medicine.’”

Tamborrino said he was attracted to the new field because of his passion for helping patients and the opportunities for research. “As a pharmacist, you have to like to heal people and to help people,” he said, adding that Connecticut is the first state to require medical marijuana dispensaries to be run by a pharmacist.

Tamborrino is excited about the possibilities for marijuana research. “Certain components with different strains produce different effects,” so researchers are hoping to find what strains are best for certain conditions.

“This is just the beginning of something bigger,” Tamborrino said. “I really believe we’re going to narrow it down to specific strain to treat a specific disease.”

Tamborrino said some strains are not intoxicating. “Certain marijuana strains don’t produce a high,” he said. “A person would be fully functional but still receive the medical benefits.” 

He said some medical marijuana patients will still be able to work if their health permits.

Connecticut’s regulations prohibit an employer from penalizing or firing someone simply because they’re qualified to use medical marijuana. However, an employer can prohibit its use during work hours and can discipline an employee who is intoxicated.

Tamborrino said pharmacists will recommend which type of marijuana will be most beneficial for each patient. Bluepoint Wellness will offer marijuana in tablets, tinctures, patches, creams and smokable form. He said he believes the clientele will be a mix of people who have never used marijuana and those who have attempted to self-medicate. Counseling about proper usage will be provided for all patients.

The facility will be open Mondays through Fridays from 9:30 a.m. until 6 p.m.; and Saturday from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m.

State Regulations

Connecticut’s medical marijuana regulations have been termed the most rigorous in the nation.

Twenty states and the District of Columbia have medical marijuana programs. Two of those states, Colorado and Washington, also allow recreational marijuana.

Regulations vary from state to state. The program in Massachusetts, which is currently being set up, allows up to 10 ounces of marijuana to be dispenses in a 60-day period; and it also permits certain authorized patients to grow their own supply. In Rhode Island, there are currently two dispensaries operating that are permitted to dispense 2.5 ounces in a 15-day period. Connecticut only allows 2.5 ounces per month.

The state Department of Consumer Protection website provides detailed information about the medical marijuana program.

The Bluepoint Wellness website includes information for patients, doctors and the general public.

Marcia Chambers contributed reporting for this story.

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