Ayr Wellness announced the opening of its newest dispensary in Pinellas Park Florida, its 44th in the state.

“We are thrilled with our progress to date in Florida, a market where we see tremendous upside and growth potential. With 44 stores now open, at least 21 additional stores expected in prime locations in 2022, and significant improvements to our cultivation and production operations driving increased quality and volume, Florida promises to be a significant driver to growth and shareholder value in quarters and years to come,” said Jon Sandelman, Founder, Chairman and CEO of Ayr Wellness.

The new dispensary will occupy over 2,700 square feet of prime retail space on one of the most heavily traveled routes in Pinellas County, population over 900,000, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The store will have six points of sale and feature Ayr’s leading portfolio of premium offerings including Origyn Extracts, Secret Orchard Sun Gems and fruit-forward vapes, Big Pete’s Cookies, and a selection of high-quality flower, including whole flower and pre-rolls.



Curaleaf Holdings, Inc. announced plans to open two new dispensaries in Florida by the end of January. The expansion will increase the company’s retail footprint to 44 dispensaries statewide and 119 across the country.

Curaleaf Tampa Bay Mabry, located at 13755 North Dale Mabry Highway, opened on Jan. 15 and Curaleaf Largo, located at 10289 Ulmerton Road, is expected to open soon after. In December, Curaleaf added four additional dispensaries in Stuart, Lady Lake, Wesley Chapel and Miami to continue to expand access to the company’s quality products and services.

Florida has evolved into one of the largest and fastest growing medical markets in the country. Curaleaf has quickly expanded its retail presence and cultivation footprint and introduced more innovative products, including Select Squeeze, Select Bites, Select Nano Bites, and its breakthrough vape hardware Cliq by Select, which features a proprietary gravity-fed pod and variable battery voltage settings, allowing patients to customize cannabis consumption experiences to their individual preferences. The company’s Florida growth strategy resulted in significant gains last year, with Curaleaf doubling its market share to fifteen percent in the state.



What benefits do you see for patients throughout Florida within this space?
Cannabis as a plant has ALWAYS been medicinal. We are simply living in an era of big pharma and big government control over our healthcare choices. The benefits of Medical Cannabis in Florida should be clear; to utilize it in a SAFE, LEGAL, and EDUCATED manner! The medical program, IF your doctor respects both the plant and the patient with the APPROPRIATE EDUCATION, allows this to happen.

What motivates you to be a part of the cannabis Industry?
The motivation behind being a part of the cannabis industry is easy; It’s all about being a 2022 Physician and utilizing my 40 years of healthcare experience to the BEST benefit to modern society and my individual patients. I need to be one of those who lead the way toward the appropriate understanding of cannabis as a medicinal agent. Very few western conventionally trained are willing to carry the ball forward. For me, it’s a daily passion.

What field are you in within the cannabis space?
I have been the owner and Chief Medical Officer of The Compassionate Cannabis Clinic in Venice since January 2017, with our Fort Myers office opening shortly thereafter. We are one of the largest and most advocative practices in the state and believe that EDUCATION, PATIENT CARE, and CUSTOMER SERVICE are our daily mission. I am proud to be active in many aspects of the Medical Cannabis world and currently serve as a member of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Medical Cannabis Advisory Committee. I am also involved as a leader in Florida’s Medical Cannabis Physicians Group. We are actively involved with the OMMU, and our Legislative leaders as we move forward with needed improvements to the program.

How can people in Florida benefit from the company you represent?
The benefits come from working with a Medical Cannabis practice that EDUCATES you on the BEST use of cannabis. Once again, the hashtag is #RespectThePatient, #RespectThePlant. If your medical card visit doesn’t contain education about ALL the cannabinoids, the ENDOCANNABINOID SYSTEM, and ALL the different routes of administration, then it’s just about getting your dollars. Patients need to demand better of their cannabis practice. We are proud of what we do and how we do it.

How did you get started within the cannabis industry?
My 34 years as an Emergency Medicine provider in busy Ohio ERs taught me many things. One of the most obvious was what was destroying the lives of American citizens was NEVER cannabis! The disaster of excess alcohol use (acute and chronic), along with the increased abuse of opiates and benzodiazepines had resulted in countless lives impaired and lost throughout my career. Never once did I have to intubate a cannabis overdose, no one ever will, and I also knew that I had never cared for a domestic couple who had “beaten up their partner” after smoking a joint together. Additionally, the CHRONIC effects of alcohol and tobacco are seen in EVERY hospital ER daily! SUBSTANCES ARE NOT CREATED EQUAL! Thus, I started this part of my career in medicine as a social warrior, so to speak; the truth needed to be told. However, since I have now seen literally thousands of medical cannabis patients, I speak to the fantastic MEDICAL BENEFITS of the cannabis plant. It only takes a few hours in my clinic to witness what a huge difference the use of cannabis, along with the EDUCATION on how best to use it, can make to patients. This wide base of patient care experience has made me an even more vocal proponent of cannabis as medicine.

Are you personally a MJ card holder?
Yes, of course. It’s important to know that physicians in Florida can have their card as long as there is no evidence of impairment or risk to patients. I have many other doctors in my practice, as well as many nurses, paramedics and other healthcare professionals. They are often at risk of their positions of employment. EVERYONE should have licensure and job protections, and it’s my pledge to stay on that soapbox until it happens here in Florida. It won’t be easy, but it can happen if we keep the pressure on over the next few years. Medical cannabis needs to be treated exactly like every other medicine, with due respect to the patient that has taken the time and effort to get their card.

Do you see Florida moving forward with recreational Marijuana/cannabis and how will that affect your business?
Legal Adult-Use will come to Florida; when exactly is difficult to predict. The only thing that is certain is that it will be heavily taxed. I am often asked about the viability of my practice when “pot goes legal.”I respond with confidence that because of the EDUCATIONAL model of my clinic, we will thrive. There are many patients who have thought of using cannabis as medicine but because of the ILLEGALITY of it, would never take that step. Free of that fear, many will desire the KNOWLEDGE of how to use it best and will come for that expert advice. Keeping MEDICAL cannabis TAX FREE, the in-hospital and nursing home use of cannabis, JOB PROTECTIONS for cardholders and other concerns we fight for will maintain the importance of holding a medical card. There may also be products available to only medical cardholders, not Adult Use purchasers. We will be busy, that I know!



Americanna Laboratories, LLC was granted regulatory approval from the Florida Department of Health to conduct cannabis compliance testing as the state’s most recent Certified Marijuana Testing Laboratory (CMTL).

With this approval, Americanna becomes only the ninth facility licensed by the Office of Medical Marijuana Use (OMMU) to perform consumer safety and quality control testing in the State of Florida. The lab already possesses over 30 years of experience to coincide with USDA and EPA registrations. Co-Founders Steven Perez and David Perez first initiated expansion into analytical testing of cannabis in 2018 when Florida introduced their plans to begin both hemp and medical marijuana programs. “We were not in a rush to be the first CMTL,” stated Co-Founder Steven Perez. “Every day we strive to give patients and consumers a greater sense of security knowing the medicine they depend on has been tested for its safety and purity. This approval is another step in our progression to be the premiere testing laboratory in the cannabis industry. We have come a long way with gaining ISO 17025 accreditation, fine-tuning our methodologies, and developing satisfied clients across the nation. Now, we can analyze medical marijuana samples to help patients throughout the state.”

The approval marks the culmination of one noteworthy achievement with others to follow. “2021 was a year of investment for us. We dedicated a significant amount of time and resources into the development of not only our methods but also our personnel. The Americanna Lab team impresses us each day with their commitment to quality and accomplishing our mission of consumer safety. We are poised to expand our footprint in the cannabis market due to this commitment,” said Wyman Dickey, CEO.



By Vanessa Orr

Since 2016, DocMJ has been providing a simple, patient-friendly option for those interested in obtaining a medical marijuana card in Florida. Now the organization, made up of the largest and most experienced group of certified medical marijuana physicians in the state, is offering expanded wellness services and opening its first medspa as well.

Jackie Rothman

“We decided to add total wellness services as a way to help our patients extend their knowledge not only of the medications they get at the dispensaries, but of other CBD products as well,” explained DocMJ Chief Operating Office Jackie Rothman. “Working with our patient care team, they can learn more about how both THC and CBD can help with their symptoms and increase their general all-around wellness.”

According to Rothman, CBD should actually be used with THC for patients to get the most benefit.

“This is not just for people who have severe conditions, but for those who want to utilize CBD as a sort of multivitamin to enhance day-to-day wellness,” said Rothman. “Even if a person doesn’t meet the state’s qualifying conditions to use medical marijuana, they can still use CBD from hemp products to enrich their daily lives. Through a no-cost consultation, either by phone or virtually, we can help them find what will work best for them.”

DocMJ carries a specific line of CBD products, called DocCBD, that can be ordered online or found at some of its clinics throughout the state. “The products we carry are all physician-backed and are handpicked to help people get the specific benefits they want,” said Rothman. “There are tons of CBD products out there, and it’s important to know what you’re putting in your body; we’ve done the research to weed out everything that is unnecessary or not beneficial.”

In February, DocMJ plans to open its first medspa to offer clients even more self-care options. “In keeping with our focus on total wellness, we decided to add health and beauty services that are good for the body and mind,” said Rothman.

The medspa, which will be located in DocMJ’s clinic on South Dale Mabry Highway in south Tampa, will include a multitude of services such acupuncture, cupping, vitamin injections, facials, peels, laser treatments, Botox, fillers and more.

“It’s a beautiful space, and it felt like the right place to open our first medspa,” said Rothman, adding that the company does have plans to open more. “Right now, we do have a few other locations in mind, but we want to do this one big launch before we start popping up everywhere else.”

The medspa will be open to everyone, and will offer a number of alternative therapies for those who utilize medical marijuana and CBD, as well as for those who do not.

“While we have been able to offer a number of products that help patients feel better, we wanted to provide them with a way to pamper themselves as well,” said Rothman. “When you look good, you feel good, and that’s good for your mental health.”

To learn more, visit www.docmj.com.