Patriot Care, a subsidiary of medical marijuana giant Columbia Care, is cutting the ribbon this morning on the first medical marijuana dispensary in Boston. Massachusetts voters approved medicinal pot in 2012 (and may legalize recreational pot this November).
The 3,400-square-foot spread is located at 21 Milk Street in downtown Boston, and is the second of three dispensaries that Columbia Care plans to open in Massachusetts (the first was in Lowell). The firm already operates dispensaries in Arizona, Illinois, Washington, D.C., California, and New York.
This newest location looks awfully like the dispensary in Manhattan’s Union Square. That is, it looks like the front space of a higher-end spa or even a jewelry store.
As for how it works, it’s not a walk-up retail shop and the marijuana is certainly not over the counter. Other than employees, only qualified patients and their caregivers with proper IDs are allowed to enter. Inside, they can consult with staff and make the necessary purchases.