Marijuana dispensary pushes back its opening

South Jersey's first medical marijuana dispensary has pushed its opening date back to Oct. 28, two weeks later than anticipated.

Bill Thomas, CEO of Compassionate Care Foundation, announced Friday that the state Department of Health had granted the nonprofit its final permit to open and said the delay was because "the plants are not ready."

CCF is preparing its 1,500 marijuana plants for sale to state-registered patients who have one of a dozen qualifying health conditions or diseases. The patients must make an appointment and bring a written approval from a registered doctor before they can make a purchase. Thomas said the price will be $400 an ounce and patients will be restricted to two ounces a month, under state law.

The dispensary, which is near Atlantic City, will be the second to open in New Jersey since medical marijuana was legalized in the state nearly four years ago. Twenty-one states allow it, including Delaware. Pennsylvania does not. For more information on the dispensary, contact www.ccfnj.org.

- Jan Hefler