Delaware's first medical cannabis clinic opens

Delaware's first medical marijuana dispensary opened Friday to a line of patients extending out the clinic's front door and a hundred feet along its parking lot.

The First State Compassion Center at 37 Germay Drive near Wilmington cultivates and sells cannabis for patients registered with the state Department of Health and Social Services.

Bill Coleman, a food sales representative from Harrington, drove more than 60 miles to purchase cannabis at the center Friday morning. Coleman said he previously would buy pot on the street for his chronic pain.

"The danger was getting stopped by police," Coleman said.

He joined a line of more than 50 marijuana cardholders waiting in line to make purchases Friday at 11:00 a.m. Two security guards were outside, allowing only marijuana patients on the premises.

State lawmakers approved medical cannabis in 2011. The law allows for a clinic in each county. The state in August signed a two-year contract with Mark Lally, a former state trooper, to run the Germay Drive facility.

About 340 Delaware residents have cards from the state health department allowing them to buy the drug, used to treat symptoms associated with cancer; Alzheimer's disease; post-traumatic stress disorder; and conditions that cause intractable nausea, severe pain or seizures, among other illnesses.

Coleman said that medical marijuana allows him to reduce his use of prescribed painkillers. Before using cannabis for medical purposes, he was skeptical of its therapeutic utility, Coleman said.

"But I figured out that I can take a lot less narcotics if I just smoke a little bit of pot," Coleman said.

The dispensary is limited to cultivating 150 marijuana plants and keeping inventory of no more than 1,500 ounces of the drug. The building, in an industrial park, housed a tile distributor before growing equipment and security devices were installed.

Jane Fitzsimmons, who owns Superior Electric Service Co. across the street, said she likes that the dispensary is secure. Her firm handled some of the wiring.

"Our company did the electrical work over there in that building, so we're very familiar with the building and the procedures over there," Fitzsimmons said.

Marijuana remains illegal under federal rules. The Drug Enforcement Agency last year issued a report saying cannabis "has no accepted medical use in the United States."

But Congress in December passed a bill directing federal law enforcement to not arrest medical marijuana sellers. House and Senate committees earlier this month passed amendments to spending bills that would prohibit the U.S. Department of Justice from using federal dollars to target medical marijuana operations.

Gov. Jack Markell also signed a bill last week that decriminalizes the possession of 1 ounce or less of marijuana for personal use. The law, which takes effect in six months, eliminates criminal penalties for possession. A violation will be considered a civil offense punishable by a $100 fine and would not become part of a person's criminal record.

Legislation also has been approved to allow children to legally access marijuana-extracted oils for the treatment of seizures, severe muscle spasms, intractable nausea and other conditions.

Contact Karl Baker at kbaker@delawareonline.com or (302) 324-2329. Follow him on Twitter @kbaker6.