By Sabrina Siegan, thedaonline.com
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — With close to 10,000 registered cannabis patients in the state of West Virginia, Trulieve, the first cannabis company and dispensary to open in the state last November unveils another location in Granville-Morgantown.
According to Trulieve representative Heather Peairs, the location in Granville will be the fifth location in the state and the second in Morgantown.
With varying opinions on cannabis, the education process for new Trulieve patients is taken very seriously.
“We’re very patient-first, patient-forward. Here in West Virginia, the fact that we were the first in the state, we’re taking constant feedback from our patients so that we can provide the relief that they’re actually looking for,” Peairs said.
Their education process is what allows Trulieve to advocate for safe and legal cannabis distribution, especially since laws surrounding the substance vary between every state.
Since its launch in 2021, Trulieve has expanded its store hours to welcome patients seven days a week.
When you step into the new location, it may be overwhelming due to the vast quantity and variety of products. Trulieve’s staff offers to help new patients navigate all the different products as needed for individual preference.
“We started with flower in our locations. Now we have other ways of using cannabis from distillates to capsules, like with our Momenta collection,” said Peairs, “We’ve really taken the feedback from our patients on what it is that they’re looking for to provide relief and how they can consume it.”
Ethan Zohn, an ambassador for Momenta, is a former professional soccer player, two time winner of the TV show “Survivor” and most importantly, a two-time cancer survivor.
“I never used this stuff [cannabis] my whole life until I was diagnosed with cancer in New York City at the time, and I just didn’t have access [to it]. It was illegal,” Zohn said.
Zohn had difficulty obtaining cannabis to effectively target his pain before proper legislation was passed regarding medical cannabis in the state of West Virginia. Now, he is happy to see, work with and advocate for the opening of legal dispensaries like Trulieve.
“Doctors were prescribing me a lot of pills,” said Zohn. “To be able to have a natural product to help me mitigate some of the side effects of cancer treatments was huge for me.”
According to Zohn, Trulieve is focused on the research, education, proper dosing, as well as the purity of their product. You can follow Zohn’s story and advocacy for Momenta and legal cannabis at his website here.
Legislation around cannabis companies like Trulieve requires them to give back to the local community with a portion of their profits. According to Peairs, Trulieve does a great job of giving back to the community as well as being involved and being inclusive for those from all backgrounds.
Peairs said Trulieve is involved with Habitat for Humanity in Charleston and Parkersburg. Their team is also working with pride groups in Morgantown as well.
“If there’s anywhere we can help or any way we can get involved in the community, we are there,” Peairs said.
Understanding the demographics of the Morgantown community is also important for Trulieve. With such a large student population in the city, Zohn and Peairs urge students to stay educated and safe when it comes to their cannabis use. Peairs and her team will be at tailgates in the fall in the Blue Lot to educate the campus community.
According to Peairs, Trulieve provides information on how to check your eligibility for a medical card along with additional support and resources for all community members.
Trulieve is operational in 11 states and will soon have nine dispensaries open in the state of West Virginia. They currently have four operational dispensaries in the state and plan to open four more in the fall, not including the most recent Granville-Morgantown location.
To find more resources for cannabis education, medical card eligibility, and more, visit Trulieve’s website.