PORTSMOUTH, Va., Dec. 11, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The City of Portsmouth, VA is proud to report that New York-based Columbia Care, one of the country's leading medical cannabis companies, has received approval and license from the State of Virginia to produce cannabis oil. The company, recently valued at $1.35 billion, is planning to open its dispensary in Portsmouth, Virginia in the spring of 2019. Columbia Care will cultivate, produce and dispense cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THC-A) oil, capsules and creams prescribed to state-registered patients in the state.

Patients suffering from the chronic pain of arthritis, related symptoms of multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injuries, epilepsy, cancer and other diseases will now have access to CBD and THC-A products. Research has shown that medical cannabis can also provide relief from nausea and insomnia. Columbia Care operates dispensaries in Arizona, Massachusetts, New York, Illinois, California, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Florida, Puerto Rico and Washington. Portsmouth Mayor John L. Rowe, Jr. said, "Columbia Care chose Portsmouth for its Virginia headquarters because of the city's access to the interstate and because of its readily available industrial space." Nicholas Vita, chief executive officer of Columbia Care stated, "We intend to develop a state-of-the-art pharmaceutical processing facility capable of surpassing the rigorous processing requirements outlined by the Board of Pharmacy, as we have successfully done in multiple other states."

"Columbia Care locating to Portsmouth demonstrates the state's commitment to scientific research to find cures and treatment for so many debilitating ailments," said Robert Moore, director for Portsmouth's Economic Development Department. Moore added that the company will initially have about 24 employees including chemists, scientists, horticulturalists and dispensers. "The Columbia Care facility will be staffed by a team of professionals trained to provide the highest level of compassion, confidentiality and respect for patients," stated Moore.

"Columbia Care has a proven track record of working effectively with the medical and research communities, providing a superior patient experience and producing products worthy of selection. I am honored to serve on Columbia Care Virginia's advisory board, and I look forward to helping the Company advance its mission of improving the lives of patients and their families by developing the highest-quality cannabinoid-based medicines and delivering the best care to the community at large," said Dr. Marissa Levine, former Virginia State Health Commissioner and co-chair of the Columbia Care Virginia Advisory Board.

Additional Columbia Care Virginia advisory board members include:

Basil Gooden, Ph.D., former Virginia secretary of agriculture David Creecy, PharmD, former president of the Virginia Pharmacists Association Tim Musselman, PharmD, former executive director of the Virginia Pharmacists Association Reverend Tyrone Nelson, Henrico County board of supervisors Calvin Butts, Hampton University board of trustee Terron Sims II, prominent U.S. veterans advocate Lisa Smith, leading Virginia medical cannabis patient advocate



For Columbia Care company background and information, visit www.col-care.com which contains the healthcare company's mission, the leadership team and its other locations across the U.S. For more information, contact Robert D. Moore with the city of Portsmouth at 757-393-8804.

CONTACT: Sharon R. Hoggard Marketing Manager Department of Marketing, Communications & Tourism 757-393-5143 [email protected]

SOURCE City of Portsmouth, VA