The state Health Department announced Monday a new marijuana dispensary will open to the public next month.
TRENTON -- The state Health Department announced Monday a new medical marijuana dispensary will open to the public next month.
Compassionate Science Alternative Treatment Center, located in Bellmawr, is the second dispensary to open in south Jersey, and the last in that region unless state health officials agree more are needed to meet the demand.
The program has 5,500 registered patients and caregivers, who are permitted to buy cannabis from a dispensary on behalf of patients who are unable to make the trip.
The health department in March 2011 selected non-profits to open two dispensaries each in north, central and south Jersey, but nearly all of them have struggled to win local support and and state approvals.
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In August 2013, owners of the the Compassionate Sciences dispensary announced they had leased building in the 3.1-square-mile community of Bellmawr, in suburban Camden County. Webster Todd, former Gov. Christie Todd Whitman's brother, is an owner.
Three dispensaries are open: Greenleaf Compassion Center of Montclair, Compassionate Care Foundation of Egg Harbor and Garden State Dispensary of Woodbridge.
More information about the state's program may be found here.
Susan K. Livio may be reached at slivio@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @SusanKLivio. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.