A marijuana assessment clinic opening in Harrison Township will become the sixth such facility in Pennsylvania.
Compassionate Certification Centers is opening its latest office in June, taking over an established pain management clinic on Freeport Road.
“We wanted to provide an opportunity to the local communities to have access to these alternatives,” said Dr. Randall Barrett, who has been medical director of anesthesia at Armstrong County Memorial Hospital for 18 years, and has also led NP3 North Pittsburgh Pain Physicians.
“It’s a safe haven where we are willing and start to educate patients and give them opportunities to explore these alternatives,” Barrett said.
The clinic will screen patients to certify if they have one of 22 qualified medical conditions to get a medical marijuana card, including seizure disorders, cancer and PTSD.
“I think it offers a significant opportunity to the patients in our region to help bridge the gap for patients who don’t find relief and care with the opiates and the more conventional therapies and medications,” he said.
More than 36,000 patients are already registered for the state’s medical marijuana program, and Barrett believes that number will continue to grow, especially now that Pennsylvania has added opioid addiction to the list of conditions.
“I think it is an important step for patient care because we now know the current therapies and medications we had out there do have shortcomings and shortfalls as far as complete care,” he said.
The new office will officially open on June 7.
Source: WPXI News
