When Deseret Wellness Market President Jeremy Sumerix returned to his home state of Utah to launch a business in the state’s nascent medical cannabis market, he crafted a retail operation focused first and foremost on patient experience.

“What we stand for is patient experience, completely,” Sumerix tells Cannabis Business Times and Cannabis Dispensary. “Everything that we do is geared towards limiting wait times, expediting the process and making patients feel comfortable.”

Sumerix grew up in Utah before leaving to pursue a career. Prior to his role with Deseret Wellness, Sumerix worked for a multistate cannabis operator with a presence in New York, Florida, Illinois, Nevada and Arizona. After Utah voters approved medical cannabis in November 2018, Sumerix left that particular role to pursue a cannabis business in his home state, and his team were one of only four licensees awarded two retail locations by the state. The company’s first pharmacy opened Aug. 31 in Provo, and Deseret Wellness will open its second location in Park City during the first week of February.

“I think the thing that I’m continually the most excited about, is the state is conservative by nature,” Sumerix says. “They’re very methodical and careful in what they do. I think they’ve put together a really solid program that allows us to truly take care of our patients the right way.”

Photos courtesy of Deseret Wellness

Creating the best possible patient experience is at the forefront of Deseret Wellness’ operations, Sumerix says, and the state has been very receptive to the company’s feedback on which regulations could be tweaked to improve patient access.

“If something in the current regulations doesn’t necessarily make sense or it limits our ability to take care of the patients the right way, the state is very cooperative and collaborative, so that’s been very, very encouraging,” Sumerix says. “I’ve operated in states that are less that way, so it’s refreshing to work with partners like we have here in the state of Utah.”

Deseret Wellness has implemented a robust, two-week training program for its employees, Sumerix says, which provides education on everything from the company’s products to the state’s regulations. After completing the training program, new hires then shadow an existing employee for a week or so until they are able to answer the wide variety of questions that may come up from patients.

Utah law requires licensed pharmacists to be on-site at cannabis pharmacies during business hours, and Sumerix says the company sought the best pharmacists it could find to join its team. These pharmacists are involved in the training and onboarding of new staff members.

“We look to those pharmacists as experts in the industry and the product,” Sumerix says.

Another way Deseret Wellness strives to offer the very best patient experience is through patient education. The company provides educational materials on-site at the pharmacy, such as articles that explain the differences between cannabis varieties and the various product formulations.

Deseret Wellness also regularly invites the state’s cultivators into the pharmacy to discuss their specific cultivars and products, and how their offerings can help patients with their medical conditions.

“It’s been a great collaboration with the cultivators in the state,” Sumerix says. “We have a great relationship with them, [and] I think the patients get really excited to see them visit the pharmacy because they get to learn about the product firsthand.”

Utah’s medical cannabis law forbids open flame, so Deseret Wellness sells flower and vaporizers, as well as

Deseret Wellness sells flower and vaporizers, as well as vape cartridges, topicals, gel capsules, tinctures and sprays.

vape cartridges and topicals in the form of balms, lotions and patches. The pharmacy also carries gel capsules, tinctures and sprays.

In the future, Sumerix says Deseret Wellness will also carry cannabis concentrates for patients who might need higher-potency products.

Utah is currently developing a system that will allow the state’s licensed pharmacies to deliver medical cannabis products directly to patients, which Sumerix says will only continue to improve patient access and experience.

“That will allow us to get to patients who aren’t necessarily able to get to our pharmacy, so that’s very exciting,” he says. “[The state needs] to pin down some of the specifics of the delivery platform, the delivery service, but more than likely, it’ll allow us to get to patients who are in more rural parts of the state."

As Deseret Wellness looks toward opening its second location in Park City, Sumerix says he hopes the company can replicate what has worked well in its Provo store, from the welcoming environment to SOPs that keep patient wait times down.

The company will also continue what Sumerix calls a “deliberate approach” to avoid the spread of COVID-19 as the pandemic rages on. Efforts include checking employees’ temperatures every morning, as well as requiring all employees and patients to wear masks while inside the pharmacy.

Deseret Wellness launched curbside pickup very quickly at the start of the pandemic, Sumerix adds, and once a patient has enrolled in Utah’s medical cannabis program and purchased product inside the pharmacy once, he or she can then leverage the company’s online ordering and curbside pickup services.

“Like everybody else, we’ve worked really hard and we’re incredibly nimble, … ready to react if and when things come up,” Sumerix says. “It’s all about being diligent and consistent, and so far, we’ve been able to do that.”

Deseret Wellness is in the final stages of construction and hiring for its Park City store, and plans to hold a ribbon cutting ceremony and open house Jan. 27 with select members of the community, including the director of Utah’s medical cannabis program. The Park City pharmacy will then open its doors to patients the following week.

Looking ahead, once its new location is up and running, Deseret Wellness aims to explore its delivery options, as well as continue its efforts to offer the best possible patient experience at both of its pharmacies.

“It’s just ensuring consistency and constantly making sure that we have the right products for the patients,” Sumerix says.

EDMONTON, AB, Jan. 14, 2021 /CNW/ - PRESS RELEASE - Aurora Cannabis Inc., a Canadian cannabis company, has announced it has entered into an agreement with Great North Distributors Inc., Canada's first national sales broker for legalized adult-use cannabis. Under the agreement, Great North will be the exclusive representative for Aurora's leading portfolio of brands across the Canadian cannabis retail environment.

"The agreement is designed to significantly bolster Aurora's market position in Canada. Great North brings deep experience across the spectrum of sales capabilities that will further differentiate Aurora as a leader in the growing cannabis space," said Miguel Martin, CEO of Aurora Cannabis. "We have selected Great North for their outstanding execution across regulated businesses. Combining their executional strength with Aurora's leading portfolio of brands is a recipe for success."

Great North has reach across every province in Canada, including established relationships and expertise in working with provincially-owned and operated retailers and private retailers in Canada's cannabis industry. Great North applies data analytics capabilities to the sector, providing suppliers with a powerful data-driven approach to cannabis sales.

"Adding Aurora to our portfolio of companies we proudly represent is a signal of our market leadership," said Doug Wieland, President, Canada – Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits and Great North Distributors. "Great North has executed in the Canadian cannabis market since day one and will immediately bring value in sales execution to Aurora. Aurora has entrusted their family of brands in our team and we look forward to delivering exceptional results."

Great North will assume responsibility for Aurora's sales execution on Jan. 25, 2021.

SANTA FE, N.M., Jan. 14, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- PRESS RELEASE -- Nicole Sena, a medical cannabis caregiver to her young daughter with a rare form of epilepsy, and Ultra Health have reopened their lawsuit against the New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH) to ensure an adequate supply of medicine.

The original lawsuit, filed in August 2016, contended the plant cap regulation promulgated by NMDOH was not in accordance with the Lynn and Erin Compassionate Use Act, the enabling legislation for New Mexico’s Medical Cannabis Program.

In November 2018, then-District Judge David K. Thomson ruled the department’s plant cap was arbitrary, capricious, and frustrated the purpose of the Lynn and Erin Compassionate Use Act. Sena and Ultra Health have reopened the case due to the department’s new regulation limiting adequate supply in the program.

NMDOH was court-ordered to raise the plant cap and find a data-driven solution to provide adequate supply for patients. In fall 2019, the new cap of 1,750 plants was promulgated. Even still, the new cap has failed to have a substantial effect on adequate supply in the program.

“While it may be true that DOH was delegated the authority to regulate the system of distribution of medical marijuana in this State, it may not create its own arbitrary production number that does not have a reasonable nexus in law or fact to adequate supply for patients in the program,” Judge Thomson stated in his 60-page ruling.

The ballooning of patient enrollment to 104,655 patients statewide and the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have created an unprecedented demand for medical cannabis and therefore an extreme strain on available medicine in the program.

Per Judge Thomson’s order and the Lynn and Erin Compassionate Use Act, NMDOH has a duty to ensure every patient in the program has a three-month, uninterrupted adequate supply of medicine.

Furthermore, evidence obtained via an Inspection of Public Records Request (IPRA) found that the determination for the plant count was tied to slowing the growth of Ultra Health.

“It is odd that we are the only state with a plant count. Right now, I am trying to figure out the last possible date to hold a rule hearing (looks like July 5) in time to control the plant expansion of Ultra. They cannot produce a new crop for 16 weeks, so I have roughly four months to manage this,” then Secretary Kathy Kunkel stated in an email to Jane Wishner, a member of the governor’s senior staff, in February 2019.

“New Mexico’s medical cannabis program remains in a perpetual cycle of crisis—there is not an adequate supply of medical cannabis in state to benefit all patients, and the price of medicine puts it out of reach for too many medically fragile patients,” said Jacob Candelaria, counsel for Sena and Ultra Health, who is also a Senator from Albuquerque. “These problems are a direct result of the department’s failure to comply with the court’s trial order, and the law, which both require the department to ensure all medical cannabis patients can access the medicine they need at an affordable price.”

“What’s also very concerning here is the way the department and the governor’s office seemingly used their authority over the Medical Cannabis Program to target and retaliate against my client,” Candelaria continued. “It’s sad that our government is more interested in slowing the growth of my client’s ability to serve patients than in performing their legal obligations under the law or the court’s trial order.”

“While Judge Thomson’s ruling was a groundbreaking moment for medical cannabis patients’ rights in New Mexico, the work to actually provide an adequate supply of medicine is far from done,” said Duke Rodriguez, CEO and president of Ultra Health. “The department has a statutorily-mandated obligation to provide an adequate supply for patients. As the state’s largest provider, we similarly have an obligation to ensure our patients are receiving the standards of care that those benefiting from any other medication would receive. Simply put, the department must stop using their regulatory authority in a manner that thwarts patient access and instead promote adequate supply directly tied to the health and wellness of more than 104,000 New Mexican lives.”

The Illinois Senate approved legislation Jan. 13 aimed at improving social equity in the state’s cannabis licensing process, according to a Chicago Sun-Times report.

The bill would establish two systems for the state’s lottery for dispensary licenses—tiered and qualified—in order to issue 75 retail licenses that have been held up in legal disputes since regulators announced in September that only 21 social equity applicants would be included in the lottery.

The legislation approved by the Senate Wednesday would also create a new lottery for 75 additional dispensary licenses, the Chicago Sun-Times reported, which would be available to applicants in the first round who received high scores but did not qualify for the initial lottery to win one of the first 75 licenses.

RELATED: Illinois Lawmakers to Create 75 New Cannabis Retail Licenses

The bill now heads to the Illinois House for consideration.