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Six months ago Seven Days found Vermont's two-year-old medical-marijuana industry trying to manage booming customer demand in Chittenden County. Operators of the Burlington dispensary were looking to open to a grow facility in Milton, where some officials were skeptical of associating with — not to mention leasing space to — such a business.
At the same time, owners of a Brandon dispensary were seeking to move to Williston, hoping to tap into the larger Chittenden County market.
The state, meanwhile, was working out rules to allow dispensaries to begin offering home delivery of medical marijuana to registered patients.
UPDATE: It took some convincing, but the Milton grow facility is up and running, said Shayne Lynn, executive director of the Champlain Valley Dispensary and Southern Vermont Wellness. His company runs two of the state's four licensed dispensaries, in Burlington and Brattleboro, and is continuing to use its older growing and testing facility in South Burlington, he said.
Lynn will apparently not face competition in Chittenden County, as state officials turned down Rutland County Organics' request to move the Brandon dispensary to Williston. Lindsey Wells, the state's marijuana program administrator, said state officials were concerned that patients in the Rutland County area would be left without a conveniently located source.
To that end, dispensaries recently got the green light to start home delivery — provided the Department of Public Safety approves their procedures, including safety precautions. Although the mobile marijuana business isn't restricted by geography, patients have to pick — and stick with — one dispensary.
Lynn said Champlain Valley Dispensary plans to begin regular delivery service in January. "We ran a want ad for drivers and got over 50 applications," he reported.