Starting this month, medical marijuana patients in Westchester can feel at ease with two new developments from Curaleaf New York, a Hudson Valley dispensary located in Newburgh.
While vaping is making headlines for ailments and possible deaths tied to illicit oil cartridges, Curaleaf has developed a ground flower vaping alternative that comes pre-dosed and at a price point comparable to street value — the first raw cannabis product available in New York State. What’s more, using it with a tabletop vaporizer is about as easy as making a pod of coffee.
“Flower is cannabis in its raw form and therefore the most affordable form of cannabis,” says Curaleaf New York Regional Director Michelle Bodner. “With this new product, New York medical cannabis patients will be able to legally access premium, trimmed and cured flower for the first time, without having to cross state lines or turn to untested products in the illicit market.”
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Each pod contains 1.75 grams of cured cannabis flower in either Indica or Sativa varieties, in a 20:1 THC-to-CBD ratio, or about 5mg of THC and 0.25mg of CBD (the non-psychoactive element) in each breath. Because the cannabis is minimally processed, costs remain low. And because the vaporizer pods utilize ground cannabis flower — not infused oils — they contain none of the excipients or added elements found in potentially hazardous illicit vape cartridges.
“For many patients, vaporized cannabis is easy to dose, convenient to use and relatively affordable,” says Dr. Lynn Parodneck, a local medical marijuana practitioner based out of Mount Kisco. “The introduction of this product, which allows for vaporization of dry herb, rather than infused oil, gives patients another safe, fast-acting option.”
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For local patients not looking to make the drive up to Newburgh, Curaleaf also began another program this year: Patients and registered caregivers can sign up for home delivery of their online orders, with delivery available on Mondays and Wednesdays. Delivery is available throughout the Hudson Valley, including Westchester County.
“As someone whose quality of life depends on medical cannabis, having access to an all-natural flower product will be game-changing,” said Daryl Warmbrand, a Curaleaf Hudson Valley patient. “It’s more affordable than other products on the market, and that’s a big deal because medical cannabis is not covered by health insurance. When you pay out of pocket for your medicine, it’s critical that patients have access to the most affordable high-quality products that can exist within the State’s program.”
