Puerto Rico continues to rebuild itself after Hurricane Maria, and one of those areas is their medical marijuana program, which was legalized in 2015. It was in its infant stages when Maria ravaged the island, but now, with a lot of hard work and heart, the program is not only back on its feet, but seemingly flourishing.
The patient count is beyond 20,000 with the addition of approximately 500 new patients per week. Secretary of Health Rafael Rodríguez Mercado was at the Senate this week to answer questions coming from the Commission on Federal, Political and Economic Relations, who has the medical marijuana industry under a microscope.
“Over 20,000 jobs this industry has generated will be protected,” said Puerto Rico Governor Ricardo Rosselló Nevares, “and new jobs and investment will be added.” Which is fantastic news for the island, whose recovery efforts have been brave, heartfelt and likely all-consuming. To have good news such as this is a blessing in itself.
San Juan’s Green Spirit Industries plans on making money on the newly flourishing marketplace. They have five medical marijuana dispensaries in various stages of being built. Demand is high and Green Spirit has their finger on the pulse of the movement.
Future Farm Tech is another group investing in the island’s cannabis future. In a joint venture with TCG Investments, it’s acquiring economic interest in another five medical marijuana dispensaries.
Investing in cannabis is itself on the rise, no matter where you are in this lifted world. But it is especially great to see Puerto Rico, whose economy was crushed by Maria, affected so positively by cannabis.
It also shows a great deal of passion for the plant that it’s been so highly prioritized. When Maria hit, the roofs came off of the growing facilities and processing plants, the electricity went out and the plants were pummelled. “Overwhelming” is not the word for what it must have been like to begin the rebuilding of the nascent industry.
A flourishing cannabis market could go far in helping to rebuild other parts of the island’s infrastructure as well. As we’ve seen all over the US, where there’s a burgeoning pot industry, there’s money, money, money to be made. We wish them all the luck and prosperity they can find in the green gold market and beyond.
