Inside the Medical Cannabis Industry in Puerto Rico

Andy Sack is the Director of Cultivation for PRICH BIO TECH in Puerto Rico. But, his journey to island life started at Kind Love in Denver, Colorado in 2012. While Andy was working for Kind Love, they won medical dispensary of the year in 2015 from Cannabis Business Awards, Best Flower 2016 from Westword, best flower at a dispensary 2016, Cannabis Business Awards and more.

About a year ago, he was offered an opportunity in Puerto Rico. After he got out there, he realized the legal medical cannabis scene there was extremely different than Colorado. The majority of the medical cannabis patients are women over the age of 60 who are using cannabis as an alternative to pharmaceutical options. Also, the governor passed a law that restricts flower sales to only terminally ill patients. Basically, despite the fact that Puerto Rico is super bankrupt, they’re actually regressing their cannabis laws.

PRICH BIO TECH holds the most licenses for any cultivation facility in the state. Formerly a pharmaceutical manufacturer, they currently have a 420,000 square foot grow. Most other facilities are still waiting for their licenses because of state disorganization and political turmoil. Additionally, even if those licenses were properly distributed, there isn’t not enough patients because the government is stalling distribution of medical cards. As Andy stated, “There’s mass confusion in the industry here in Puerto Rico in this moment. It’s kind of a hot mess.”

Stay tuned for more on what’s happening with medical cannabis legalization in Puerto Rico, behind the scenes of a 420,000 square foot grow, seeds, strains, genetics and more on this episode of The Real Dirt with Chip Baker.

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