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Highland County’s first medical marijuana dispensary, Debbie’s Dispensary, is nestled in at Hillsboro shopping center at 1088 N. High St., and has been open for business since July 31.
Debbie’s looks different than dispensaries in Colorado, where the first businesses selling marijuana for recreational use opened in 2014. The first thing a patient sees when they walk in Debbie’s Dispensary is a brightly lit waiting room with a reception area behind glass.
”It’s definitely more of a pharmacy than a recreational store, and for a lot of patients it’s actually beneficial in [the way a pharmacy is],” store manager Emily Clocksin told The Times-Gazette. “Since we are smaller, and we’re in a smaller town, we do take that time with the patient to really get to know them and understand what works for them.”
Everything at Debbie’s is regulated by the Ohio Board of Pharmacies, from the minimum number of hours they can be open to the price of the products it sells.
“Pricing is a little higher in Ohio right now compared to other states. We are looking to do bulk pricing as we go forward, but everything has to be regulated, and we have to get everything approved,” Clocksin said. “I think Ohio prices will come down as more people get their patient cards. That’s what’s happened in other states.”
In order to buy marijuana products from Debbie’s or any dispensary in Ohio, a patient must bring a form of identification and their medical marijuana card. At Debbie’s, a first-time patient also needs to register as a new patient just like they would at doctor’s office. After registration, the patient is taken back into a consultation room, where a staff member answers questions the patient may have in a private setting.
Clocksin told The Times-Gazette that she’s looking to have a grand opening for Debbie’s in the near future.
For more information on medical marijuana in Ohio, including qualifying conditions and where to find a physician certified to prescribe a medical marijuana card, go to medicalmarijuana.ohio.gov. You can find Debbie’s Dispensary online at www.debbiesohio.com.
Reach McKenzie Caldwell at 937-402-2570.
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