Trulieve in Pensacola, FL is in the process of setting up its extravagant and incredibly-large cannabis cultivation and processing facility. While medical cannabis is now legal in Florida, the state has very strict rules on who can own and operate dispensaries and where they are allowed to exist. Trulieve has been carefully abiding by these guidelines and has finally received permission to build their grow facility in the small town of Quincy, Florida.
What is Trulieve?
Trulieve was the first dispensary to open in Florida. Here’s what they had to say about themselves:
The founders of Trulieve came together with an extensive history working in the nursery and healthcare fields. During that time, they saw a statewide need for alternative forms of healing. Typical medicine and pharmaceutical options just didn’t work for all consumers. Dedicated to providing empathetic and compassionate care for all consumers, no matter the illness or circumstance, they decided to enter the field of medical marijuana.
Trulieve is the first dispensary to be granted a medical marijuana license in the state of Florida. They are approved by the Department of Health of Florida to legally sell Low-THC Cannabis and Medical Cannabis to consumers who have visited a qualified medical marijuana doctor. Opening their first clinic in Tallahassee on July 25th, 2016, their Clearwater location soon followed on August 16th, 2016. They have steadily increased the number of medical marijuana cardholders as they have expanded to more locations.
Trulieve was one of the first cannabis grow and dispensing companies allowed to take part in Florida’s medical marijuana program. Recently, they allowed the press to go into the facility and take a look at where cannabis will be grown and where cannabis products will be made. In a short time, this cannabis will be sold all over the state.
Trulieve appears to be a company passionate about customer care more than the potential financial gain. “It brings me great joy to know that patients of Florida are going to be getting relief,” said Pernell. “Just from seeing what my mother-in-law went through, and how it affected her and her quality of life, and just knowing other patients throughout Florida are going to be getting the same.” Success stories are the payoff for Trulieve right now.
The Grow
Inside the facility, you can see cannabis wall-to-wall over a 72,000 square foot warehouse. There are several different rooms, some of which are for the vegetative plants, clones, flowering plants, and rooms for the harvesting and curing processes. Like other grow warehouses in medical states, these plants are set up individually in controlled environments so that the crop will remain perfect and untainted.
After the harvest and cure, the cannabis will be made into the approved products for sale, since cannabis flowers will not be legal for purchase at this time. Trulieve will mainly be making inhalers and other forms of extracts. The products at this facility will then be delivered to dispensaries and consumers throughout Florida.
In an interview with Florida’s News 5, Jason Pernell, the COO of Trulieve was in awe over the facility and the way it will run.
“It’s more than what I expected,” said Jason Pernell. The way the plants grow, the efficiency. . . We take a manufacturing process approach. We live by our schedules, and make sure the plants meet the highest quality that they can.”
Over half of the 2,500 medical cardholders in the state of Florida currently use Trulieve products right now, and we’re expecting to see the growing and processing operation expand as the medical marijuana program expands.
If you haven’t had the chance to check out our other piece on the 7 new medical marijuana dispensaries in Florida, be sure to give it a look.
