(May 5, 2016) As he was authoring his application for one of the permits issued by the state to process medical marijuana last year, Barry Prichard discovered a hole in the system.
“As crucial as physicians are, they play a minor role in the process. Their job is to certify someone has a malady and is qualified for the medical marijuana program — they don’t want to run afoul of the controlled substances act,” he said. “So, if you’re a patient with chronic back pain, you take your certification to the dispensaries to see a clerk.”
The clerk, Prichard said — no matter how well trained — then works with the patient to suggest products, dosages and frequency of use.
“I find it ludicrous. It sounds fine on paper, but it’s not effective or reproducible treatment, and it might even be dangerous,” he said.
About a month ago Prichard founded The Cannabis Council, a 501(c)6 trade organization. It’s a nonprofit, he said, but donations are not tax exempt.
Prichard, an analytical chemist by trade who earned a master’s degree in business from Loyola in 2005, moved to Snow Hill five years ago after moving to the region in 2008. He became interested in the medicinal applications of cannabis about a year ago, he said.
“The problem wasn’t with standards, it was a lack of standardized methods. As a competent scientist, I thought I could lend some credibility to the process.”
Prichard isn’t criticizing what has been put into place. He said other states moved forward with far less than what Maryland requires, but still sees room between what exists and what should be in place.
“The Maryland Medical Cannabis Committee defined the goals — and how the state defined the standards is rigorous. It set limits on how much mold, insecticides or trace metals is acceptable, for example,” he said. “Ultimately, we’re trying to see Maryland cannabis, as an industry, be uniform.”
Products obtained in Worcester, to Prichard’s thinking, should be no different than those in Frederick, Wicomico or Montgomery counties. What’s lacking, he said, is the framework to make that happen. Prichard explained other states with full-blown programs are now playing catch-up to implement structures after the fact.
“In the short term we’ll be competing with California and Colorado growers, but it behooves us to share the costs for development,” he said.
He envisions a two-pronged attack.
“There’s both a chemical process — removing useful materials from plants, that we’ve been doing for 1,000 years. There’s also a pharmaceutical piece that speaks to how that dosage is administered: pills, lotions, spray or tinctures,” he said. “It’s a big leap, but it’s important for our little group to compete.”
If the market grows the way Prichard expects it to, Maryland growers and dispensers will be competing with each other for a while, but may end up on the national stage if consumers are granted greater choice in product sourcing.
“I’ll be honest, there is a profit motive here, whether it’s through consulting or running my own lab, I don’t know,” he said.
In the short term, Prichard is starting with seminars, with the first one scheduled for May 16. Though not finalized, his goal is to bring a horticultural specialist into Snow Hill to speak with those interested in growing both cannabis for medicinal use and industrial hemp.
Those who had submitted an application for one of the state’s growing, processing or dispensary applications should expect an email from The Cannabis Council.
“We’re starting the discussion with the applicants,” he said.
“As crucial as physicians are, they play a minor role in the process. Their job is to certify someone has a malady and is qualified for the medical marijuana program — they don’t want to run afoul of the controlled substances act,” he said. “So, if you’re a patient with chronic back pain, you take your certification to the dispensaries to see a clerk.”
The clerk, Prichard said — no matter how well trained — then works with the patient to suggest products, dosages and frequency of use.
“I find it ludicrous. It sounds fine on paper, but it’s not effective or reproducible treatment, and it might even be dangerous,” he said.
About a month ago Prichard founded The Cannabis Council, a 501(c)6 trade organization. It’s a nonprofit, he said, but donations are not tax exempt.
Prichard, an analytical chemist by trade who earned a master’s degree in business from Loyola in 2005, moved to Snow Hill five years ago after moving to the region in 2008. He became interested in the medicinal applications of cannabis about a year ago, he said.
“The problem wasn’t with standards, it was a lack of standardized methods. As a competent scientist, I thought I could lend some credibility to the process.”
Prichard isn’t criticizing what has been put into place. He said other states moved forward with far less than what Maryland requires, but still sees room between what exists and what should be in place.
“The Maryland Medical Cannabis Committee defined the goals — and how the state defined the standards is rigorous. It set limits on how much mold, insecticides or trace metals is acceptable, for example,” he said. “Ultimately, we’re trying to see Maryland cannabis, as an industry, be uniform.”
Products obtained in Worcester, to Prichard’s thinking, should be no different than those in Frederick, Wicomico or Montgomery counties. What’s lacking, he said, is the framework to make that happen. Prichard explained other states with full-blown programs are now playing catch-up to implement structures after the fact.
“In the short term we’ll be competing with California and Colorado growers, but it behooves us to share the costs for development,” he said.
He envisions a two-pronged attack.
“There’s both a chemical process — removing useful materials from plants, that we’ve been doing for 1,000 years. There’s also a pharmaceutical piece that speaks to how that dosage is administered: pills, lotions, spray or tinctures,” he said. “It’s a big leap, but it’s important for our little group to compete.”
If the market grows the way Prichard expects it to, Maryland growers and dispensers will be competing with each other for a while, but may end up on the national stage if consumers are granted greater choice in product sourcing.
“I’ll be honest, there is a profit motive here, whether it’s through consulting or running my own lab, I don’t know,” he said.
In the short term, Prichard is starting with seminars, with the first one scheduled for May 16. Though not finalized, his goal is to bring a horticultural specialist into Snow Hill to speak with those interested in growing both cannabis for medicinal use and industrial hemp.
Those who had submitted an application for one of the state’s growing, processing or dispensary applications should expect an email from The Cannabis Council.
“We’re starting the discussion with the applicants,” he said.