As legislation in Pennsylvania develops to support the controlled distribution of medical marijuana, there are a long list of facility requirements that dispensary and cultivation site operators are realizing. Outside of the conventional medical office specifications, there are precise ways to remain competitive in an extremely cut-throat time, while medicinal marijuana business application approvals are pending. To best meet patient needs, the wise are considering every area possible. Here’s some ways to rise above the conventional and make your space as operationally friendly as possible.
Specific medical marijuana legislation varies by location, but the following are typical considerations you’ll face with opening either a dispensary or cultivation facility. To match up all details with a particular area’s MMJ legal requirements early on and establish a well-defined plan, time can be used more efficiently while waiting for approval.
Are your construction plans 100% where they need to be? These are some inclusions to ensure are covered before MMJ facility construction begins:
• Specification of signage type
• Security features
• Proper ventilation
• Fire separation
• Health Department approval of edibles storage/handling
• Cultivation waste management aligned with legislation
• Environmental safety with pesticides
In the past, since medical marijuana growth was mainly accomplished outdoors, the process has been increasingly controlled as the shift has been made to facilities with specialized equipment, security, and protection.
Robson Forensic highlights that commercial grow businesses and some dispensaries will contain the following:
• High powered lamps
• HVAC and humidity control equipment
• Fans aiming to ventilate and circulate air
• CO2 emitting equipment
• Irrigation systems
• Chemicals for fertilizers and pesticides
• Fire protection infrastructure
• Robust security systems
• Computerized control systems to monitor the environment and use with equipment operation to maintain best-possible conditions to maximize growth
Depending on your need state, it’s best to see what is most compatible for you and your budget—then make the plunge. Choosing a suitable construction manager who can match up your area’s medicinal marijuana legislation with building options is a valuable tool, especially while time is of the essence. Whichever road you take, ensure that decisions are either well-researched, or handled by a MMJ facility construction expert to not compromise the health of your new business.
Sources referenced:
http://www.lbds.info/civica/filebank/blobdload.asp?BlobID=6362
http://www.robsonforensic.com/articles/codes-standards-hazards-marijuana-grow-facility-expert-witness