While some may envision a medical dispensary in the same way that they would a liquor store – as a retail store featuring a selection of items for adult consumption that customers are free to browse- a more accurate representation of a medical dispensary would be that of a pharmacy where patients bring their prescriptions to the counter and an employee fills that order in a different location before bringing the prescription back to the customer.
Members of the local community had the opportunity to see this first-hand on Wednesday, June 28th at 2 p.m. when the Toke and Tell Medical Dispensary opened at 2031 Ellisville Blvd. The opening was celebrated by the Jones County Chamber of Commerce with a ribbon cutting and was followed by a reception in the dispensary.
Dr. Tina Yolanda Bruce, her husband Nugene Bruce, her daughter, Brianna Dean, and sons, Carlos and Jeremiah Woods, along with their friends and supporters from the community welcomed guests and answered questions about their industry and their facility.
The Bruce family is from Natchez, where they opened their first Toke and Tell Medical Dispensary earlier this year. Dr. Bruce is a mental health professional who has served clients with Alzheimer’s disease, post-traumatic stress disorder, and chronic pain. She explained that many patients with those conditions may be eligible to use medical cannabis in their treatment plans.
The process involved is similar to getting a prescription at a traditional pharmacy in that patients must begin by talking with their doctors. Doctors can write prescriptions that allow for a set amount of units per week and the dispensary can only provide the amount of units prescribed. Once a patient has qualified for a medical cannabis card and has received a prescription for a number of units, he or she can come to the dispensary to purchase their set amount of units.
Dr. Bruce stated that she will be hosting community education events soon to help people better understand the process and the rules regarding the use of medical cannabis.
Her daughter, Brianna Dean, and assistant staff Anna Moody will oversee the day-to-day operations of the Laurel location. “I’m really looking forward to helping people in the community,” Dean said. “We want to make sure that we help everyone.”
More information on the Mississippi Medical Cannabis Program can be found at https://www.mmcp.ms.gov/
More information on Toke and Tell Medical Dispensary can be found at https://www.tokeandtellms.com/
