Winter Haven is among three locations in Florida where Liberty Health Sciences is opening medical marijuana dispensaries this week. The other two are in Palm Harbor and Merritt Island.

WINTER HAVEN — East Polk’s largest city officially has a medical marijuana business.

According to a news release, Winter Haven is among three locations in Florida where Liberty Health Sciences is opening medical marijuana dispensaries this week. The other two are in Palm Harbor and Merritt Island, giving the chain seven locations total — all in Florida.

“Winter Haven is a diverse community,” said George Scorsis, the CEO of Liberty. “Providing access to the community and the county is important. We wanted to be the first provider in Winter Haven.”

The facility is just the second medical marijuana dispensary in the county. Curaleaf opened the first location in Lakeland on Aug. 30. The Winter Haven location, 1285 First St. S — across from The Regency — opened Wednesday.

“Medical cannabis is gaining momentum,” Scorsis said. “When you see the problems people are encountering with traditional drugs, consumers are looking for a safer alternative. Physicians are realizing that, too.”

Scorsis said medical marijuana can be used to treat anxiety, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, glaucoma, inflammation and HIV among other conditions. The average age of Liberty patients, Scorsis said, is about 55 years old.

“I think patients are looking for a more natural option,” said Beth Brown, sales and marketing director for Liberty. “There are also fewer side effects than with traditional medication.”

Brown noted that the company has six hubs that provide 24-hour delivery service throughout the state. Polk patients had previously been able to receive medical marijuana from the hub in Orlando, Brown said.

Scorsis said the company plans to have 12 dispensaries in Florida by the end of the year, but the Winter Haven location will be the company's lone storefront in Polk. Scorsis added that moves into Massachusetts and Ohio are also planned for the near future. Brown said she’s been told by Polk residents that they’ve gone as far as Tampa to pick up prescriptions.

“The Winter Haven location is the biggest we have in the entire state,” Scorsis said. “There’s more than 39,000 people here. We anticipate that it will be well-used.”

Brown said there are nearly 30 physicians in Polk County certified through the Florida Department of Health to prescribe medical marijuana.

Although Polk County’s two biggest cities are the only dispensary locations in the county, GrowHealthy runs a medical marijuana cultivating facility in Lake Wales. Starbuds, a Colorado company, was granted the support of the Davenport City Commission to open a similar facility at the Holly Hill citrus plant in May but is awaiting approval from the state.

Mike Ferguson can be reached at Mike.Ferguson@theledger.com or 863-802-7545. Follow Mike on Twitter @MikeWFerguson.