[PRESS RELEASE] – NORWOOD, Mass., Dec. 8, 2025 – MariMed Inc., a leading multistate cannabis operator committed to improving lives every day, announced an inspiring new initiative sparked by U.S. Army veteran and MariMed dispensary customer Ryan Taylor. After years of battling the physical and emotional wounds of combat, Taylor found meaningful relief through medical cannabis and ultimately discovered a renewed sense of peace at MariMed’s Thrive Dispensary in Anna, Ill.
His transformative experience motivated him to put his singer-songwriter talents to work, crafting an original song, Thrive: Anna, that captures the welcoming, uplifting atmosphere he feels each time he walks into Thrive Dispensary. Starting this month, MariMed will feature the song in-store across all 13 of its Thrive Dispensary locations in Massachusetts, Ohio, Delaware, Maryland and Illinois.
Before each airing, customers will hear a recorded introduction from a Thrive Dispensary team member who is also a veteran. The message provides context about the song’s inspiration, recognizes the work of FreedomSingsUSA, a nonprofit that partners professional songwriters with veterans to help them share their stories through music, and encourages customers to support the organization. In addition, MariMed will donate to FreedomSingsUSA in Taylor’s honor.
“I served in the 82nd Airborne Division and deployed to Iraq in 2006. What was supposed to be a four-month mission turned into 16 grueling months of intense combat, devastating loss and the illness that eventually led to part of my lung being removed,” Taylor said. “Coming home, I carried crippling trauma and was relying on so many prescription pills that I felt like a walking pharmacy. It wasn’t until a family member encouraged me to try medical cannabis that I finally found real relief. Cannabis helped me feel like myself again, and I’ve been pill-free ever since. Writing Thrive: Anna was my way of saying ‘thank you’ to my favorite dispensary and bring attention [to] the great work of FreedomSingsUSA.”
“Ryan’s journey is a profound example of how cannabis can transform lives, especially for those who have sacrificed so much for our country,” said veteran and Purple Heart recipient Donnie Spurlock, store manager at Thrive Dispensary in Anna. “What he wrote and produced is more than a song; it’s a celebration of healing, gratitude and the sense of community that we try to cultivate at Thrive Dispensary every day. We’re honored to elevate his voice and to continue expanding programs that meaningfully support veterans.”
Thrive: Anna is now available for streaming on YouTube.
For a complete listing of Thrive Dispensary locations, visit www.thrivedispensaries.com.
