Legislation to enhance and change oversite of the state’s medical marijuana program went into effect this month. Houma Representative Tanner Magee’s legislation allows existing marijuana licensed pharmacies to have satellite pharmacies, so the product is more accessible for those with cannabis prescriptions.
“That’s the main thing to get some additional locations, I think it’s always been important to the legislature to have enough pharmacies where there’s access,” said Magee.
Instead of the State Department of Agriculture regulating medical marijuana, oversite is transferred to the Louisiana Department of Health. Magee said LDH has more labs which should speed up the process of getting the product to the pharmacies.
“It will allow the manufacturers to get their product to the pharmacies quicker there was a lot of lag, a lot of delays,” said Magee.
In addition, to the current nine licensed pharmacies, a tenth one will be added. Magee said it will be awarded in the greater New Orleans area. Magee said with more satellite pharmacies the hope is that it will increase competition and decrease prices so it’s more affordable for those who need it.
“Sort of increase that area’s footprint, cause it’s one of the biggest areas of the state with only one pharmacy, I think that was kind of causing some really high prices over there and kind of wanted to lower the prices a little bit as well at the same time,” said Magee.
The law doesn’t increase the number of licensed growers and pharmacy operators, but it does allow licensed pharmacy operators to open more than one location.
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