Virginia’s First Medical Cannabis Dispensary, Dharma Pharmaceuticals, Opens Doors
“We are eager to provide a new treatment option to Virginia patients”
Dharma Pharmaceuticals, the first medical cannabis dispensary in Virginia, has opened its doors. Dharma Pharmaceuticals is one of four licensed medical cannabis companies in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Located in Bristol, the company’s mission is to provide patients with high-quality, safe and effective plant-based medicines, all while bringing crucial jobs to an economically distressed area.
“We are eager to provide a new treatment option to Virginia patients and also provide jobs and economic growth within our community,” says Dharma Pharmaceuticals Co-Founder and CEO, Shanna Berry. “This has been a long process to build out a facility, grow cannabis plants from seed, process and extract the cannabis oils, and finally have product ready for patients. As a lifelong resident of Southwest Virginia, I am thrilled to bring this life-changing medicine to our state and provide much needed jobs in our community.” Berry has waited ten years for the climate in Virginia to shift to allow for medical cannabis and the start of Dharma Pharmaceuticals.
Berry is joined by Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer, Jack L. Page and Co-Founder and Chief Pharmacy Officer, Michael Johnson. Johnson, who has 27 years of Virginia pharmacy experience, is thrilled to finally serve patients, saying “Each patient seeking medical cannabis is unique, and I look forward to cultivating relationships with them to develop treatment plans customized for their individual needs.” Page says, “Dharma Pharmaceuticals is truly a homegrown effort led by local business professionals with a passion for our community and helping patients gain access to medical cannabis. We are the first to produce and sell medical cannabis to Virginians thanks to every member of our team.”
Merida Capital Partners is the largest investor in Dharma Pharmaceuticals. Mitch Baruchowitz, Kevin Gibbs and Colin Kelley of Merida Capital Partners have provided critical infrastructure and operational guidance to launch the operation. While Dharma was the last company to go live in Virginia, it is the first to produce and sell medicine to patients. This is a direct result of Merida’s operational team, whose track record in launching limited-license medical cultivation operations is one of the longest in the industry. Members of the Merida team have successfully secured cultivation, processing and dispensary licenses in highly regulated U.S. states including Connecticut, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Missouri, Maryland and West Virginia.
Gibbs says, “The Dharma Pharmaceuticals team has been an amazing partner of ours. We worked relentlessly this year with Shanna, Jack and Michael to launch this company and bring medicine to Virginia. We look forward to helping patients throughout the Commonwealth get safe access to medical cannabis.”
Dharma Pharmaceuticals is currently located in the Bristol Mall at 500 Gate City Hwy, Suite 460, Bristol, VA. Products sold will include inhalation devices, ingestibles, sprays, oils, suppositories and others. For more information on products, how to become a patient, and their COVID-19 restrictions, go to www.dharmacann.com.
