HELENA-WEST HELENA, Ark. — Greenlight Dispensary in Helena-West Helena has been providing medical marijuana products to residents in eastern Arkansas for almost a month, but they’re still trying to find ways to get the product to those who need it most.
Starting this week, the Mid-South’s first dispensary will be Arkansas’ first dispensary to offer delivery to patients who may not be able to come to the store.
Holley Stuart, manager of Greenlight, said the store will deliver medical marijuana products to patients who may have ailments that prohibit them from going into the physical store.
“We have a number of patients who do not have physical access to come to our facility and access their medical marijuana,” Stuart said. “We’re doing the delivery program to get to them. It offers both convenience and privacy.”
Stuart said Greenlight was founded with the intention to deliver to customers, and she’s glad the program is beginning after a month of being in business.
“It would be most beneficial to patients who have any type of handicap or any type of disability and are not physically able to make it into our building,” she said.
She said Greenlight will have a weekly delivery schedule and will deliver to customers based on where they live. Because the program is just starting, the dispensary is still determining what that schedule and delivery radius will be.
Dispensaries in other eastern Arkansas zones have not yet opened, so Stuart said Greenlight would be willing to deliver to patients in cities like West Memphis and Jonesboro who can’t access the product near them.
“We’ve got people all across the state that are expressing interest in our delivery program,” she said. “I know there are patients out there who are suffering. They’re in pain.”
“It’s a little difficult for me to get in sometimes,” Anthony said. “I have kids, and I also have dogs, and with my disability, it’s a little hard to get out sometimes.”
Anthony said he has severe diabetic nephropathy in his feet and has a chance of completely losing his feet in just a few years.
“I don’t like to get so ‘stoned,’ as they say,” he said. “There are specific strains that help with muscle spasms. I don’t like taking pharmaceuticals, personally. I just don’t like the way that industry goes.”
Anthony said he was a medical marijuana patient in Arizona. He moved to Arkansas and said he was relieved when it was made medically legal in his new home state.
Medical cardholders aren’t the only Arkansas residents who can take advantage of Greenlight’s delivery. Anyone in the area can order CBD products, which are now legal nationwide, and apparel for delivery through the website.