From the outside, the OMD looks like a pharmacy or some kind of medical office.

You wouldn't be able to tell just by looking at the Carling Ave. business that inside are multiple strands of medicinal marijuana.

The Ottawa Medical Dispensary is the city's first walk-in medical pot shop.

The owners, Franco Vigile and Shaddy Abboud, say it's a legal business in an everchanging landscape.

"We're keeping a close eye on all legalities and following the rules as much as we can," Abboud said.

The two men spent four months researching and based their business off of the British Columbia model in accordance with dispensary licensing.

There is no advertising indicating marijuana is inside.

The business is more than 300 metres away from schools and community centres. Security measures such as bars on the windows, an "expensive" surveillance system and industrial locks are used.

The men buy their product from Marijuana Medical Access Regulations licenced growers.

When people walk into the business, they step into a modern-looking waiting room where a receptionist will help guide them.

Only those with a doctors' prescription or Health Canada qualification are allowed to enter the actual dispensary area.

"We just want to offer safe and timely access to medical cannabis," said Vigile.

"We believe the current model is not ideal."

As it stands right now for Ottawa residents, people get their prescription and sometimes have to wait weeks to receive their supplies in the mail.

Abboud said they aren't worried a Liberal government's decision to legalize marijuana to be used recreationally would hurt their budding business.

"We'll leave it up to the federal government to decide and at that time we will revisit it," Vigile said.

Kitchissippi Coun. Jeff Leiper said he's aware of the dispensary and has visited to chat with the owners.

"There's no issue around the zoning for them. The zoning permits it," Leiper said.

Leiper said he also talked with residents who live in the area and no one has raised a concern. It's simply an "open secret" the dispensary is there, he said.

"I don't have a sense there is any safety concern around the operation," Leiper said.

Leiper said he's curious to see what comes of the business.

"At this point the operation is between them and the criminal justice system," Leiper said. "I don't oppose."

The city is taking a hands-off approach since there's nothing happening that contravenes municipal regulations.

Matthew Graham of the city's building inspection and enforcement division said bylaw services have not received any calls for the property and building code services has not been involved with the building.

"The dispensing of medical marijuana is a federally regulated matter," Graham said.

There are other businesses in Ottawa that target medical marijuana users, but none are advertised as a place to actually acquire pot.

For example, National Access Cannabis, which also opened recently in Leiper's ward, offers consulting services for people accessing Canada's medical marijuana program.