Riley Cote, a former Philadelphia Flyers winger, praised Pennsylvania’s first cannabis dispensary. Keystone Canna Remedies opened its doors on Jan. 17.
The professional hockey player tweeted: “Lots of positive change happening” following the opening, emphasizing that the new cannabis dispensary is “bringing compassion back to healthcare.”
About eight years ago, Cote suffered injuries after taking a beating on the ice during one of his games and medical marijuana gave him solace to mitigate his chronic pain.
Lots of positive change happening in Pennsylvania! Bringing the compassion back to healthcare. A little clip from Today for the ribbon cutting ceremony at Keystone Canna Remedies dispensary in Bethlehem PA. @Athletes4CARE pic.twitter.com/FLYUVYAnVk
— RILEY COTE (@rileecoyote) January 18, 2018
The dispensary, Keystone Canna Remedies, has opened its doors on Jan. 17 in Lehigh Valley region, eastern Pennsylvania, despite the state’s governor, Tom Wolf, in April 2016 legalizing medical cannabis in April 2016.
In the dispensary, consumers can find vape pens, tinctures, capsules and Rick Simpson Oil.
Cote told ABC that:
“Medical cannabis has been a godsend for me.”
Mixed Feelings
But not everyone in Pennsylvania feels the same way.
Some residents in Lehigh Valley expressed discomfort over the lack of consultation before the opening, the local station WPVI reported.
Linda Schultz told WPVI:
“I’m not happy with it. We have a pretty safe neighborhood. There [has] been a little bit of crime here but now I’m concerned.”
The local news website Lehigh Valley Live said the event was organized by the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce, and it was packed despite snowfall overnight.
Meanwhile, officials hope Lehigh residents would come to terms to seeing the dispensary as a form of a pharmacy or a medical practice, it said.
