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“It’s a combination of everything,” says Darin Carpenter, CEO of Justice Cannabis Co. (formerly known as Justice Grown), the parent company bringing cannabis dispensary Bloc Dispensary to Bethlehem. He’s talking about the philosophy that drives the business: creating dispensaries as inclusive community cornerstones. And operating with a culture of integrity and accountability, investing in communities, sustainable agriculture, and legal aid—expunging or sealing minor drug records—for those disproportionately affected by the war on drugs.
That kind of holistic approach to the rapidly expanding business of cannabis is itself a sustainable model, and an exciting one. Justice Cannabis Co. is building a platform that provides a meaningful and memorable customer experience—thanks to a team of curious, invested, and excited cannabis connoisseurs on a mission to make people feel good. “What gets me up every morning is the challenge,” says Darin. “It’s a significant thing we’re undertaking, building a brand that’s loved and trusted, being a part of social and regulatory reform in the United States.”
The army veteran—he got his start in the healthcare field as a special operations combat paramedic—has a background in agriculture and plant science, and has been in the cannabis business for 11 years, a period of rapid growth and deregulation in the industry; Pennsylvania’s Medical Marijuana Program was first signed in to law in 2016. Getting a medical marijuana card can still be a mysterious process, so Bloc Dispensary partnered with Leafwell, a telehealth platform that streamlines the means of securing medical marijuana cards and physician’s medical cannabis certificates.
Bloc Dispensary aims to embody the values of adventure, connection, and quality, in service to the fundamental belief that cannabis can be a powerful vehicle in bringing people together to feel good. At Bloc, the customer experience is paramount, and each dispensary is designed to be a safe, trusted community resource, where everyone is welcome. “We believe that when we are feeling good, we’re better able to connect with, laugh with, and uplift the lives of others,” says Darin. “That’s why feeling good is at the center of our business.”
Highly-trained pharmacists and patient advocates can guide new patients as they find the right cannabis variety or product combination for relief from a particular ailment. The company is licensed in the state of Pennsylvania for medical marijuana dispensary operations and cultivation/processing sites, and expects to open its dispensary in Bethlehem in April 2021.
“We’re very excited to be a part of Bethlehem,” says Darin. “We’re hiring a local team, and are happy to bring jobs, and a new industry, to the community.”
The Basics:
MEDICAL MARIJUANA, or medical cannabis, refers to compounds of the cannabis plant—in particular, Tetrahydrocannabinol and Cannabidiol, more commonly known as THC and CBD—that are used to relieve serious and chronic symptoms.
CBD, OR CANNABIDIOL, is an anti-inflammatory compound and is considered the most useful active substance for medical marijuana use.
MEDICAL CANNABIS is used to help manage symptoms of a variety of illnesses and conditions, as a therapeutic treatment to manage chronic pain, and as part of cancer therapy. Contact your physician with questions or for more information.
Visit partners.leafwell.co/bloc for more information. Use the discount code ‘BLOC 25’ for $25 off.
