Nicholas Vita used to work as an investment banker for Goldman Sachs. Years ago, he discovered the benefits of medicinal pot when his mom tried a weed-based cream for arthritis pain, and it worked.
Today, Vita is the CEO of Columbia Care, which operates medicinal marijuana dispensaries in states including California and Massachusetts and, from Thursday, New York.
Their operation in Manhattan, however, is likely the company's most restricted. That's because New York law only allows patients with a select few chronic illnesses to seek out medical marijuana as part of their treatment.
Patients who qualify will be able to buy marijuana oils, extracts, and tinctures. But New York dispensaries aren't allowed to actually sell weed.
And so, there are no marijuana plants on site at Columbia Care's Manhattan location.
The law is so restrictive, in fact, that Vita's mom wouldn't be allowed to get the cream that eliminated her arthritis pain because arthritis is not one of the diseases state law considers "serious" enough for medical marijuana.
The Compassionate Care Act, signed into law by New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo in 2014, considers only the following conditions treatable by medical marijuana:
“cancer, positive status for human immunodeficiency virus or acquired immune deficiency syndrome, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, damage to the nervous tissue of the spinal cord with objective neurological indication or intractable spasticity, epilepsy, inflammatory bowel disease, neuropathies, Huntington’s disease, or as added by the commissioner; and (ii) any of the following conditions where it is clinically associated with, or a complication of, a condition under this paragraph or its treatment: cachexia or wasting syndrome; severe or chronic pain; severe nausea; seizures; severe or persistent muscle spasms; or such conditions as are added by the commissioner.”
Alzheimer's, dystonia, muscular dystrophy, rheumatoid arthritis and post-traumatic stress disorder may be added to that list over the next 18 months.
Patients -- with doctor approval -- can figure out what dosage works for them by talking with their doctor and staff at the dispensary.
Despite the restrictions in New York, Vita said he's happy to work within the system if it helps build a good reputation for medical marijuana.
"Our first goal is to successfully execute on the way the program currently exists," said Vita. "We serve at their discretion."
Additional reporting by Brian Koerber.