Located on Main Street, Compass Cannabis Clinic officially opened its doors to the public on Friday (April 20), inviting them to learn about medical marijuana and how it might help them with various health issues from anxiety to chronic pain.

The clinic will have a doctor on site every two weeks starting April 27, however no marijuana will be sold on site until after it becomes legal and the company is licensed to sell the product by the Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission (AGLC).

“Basically we provide people a service where they can come see our doctor to get educated about medical cannabis,” said Brad Murphy, who co-owns the business with his partner Michelle Craig located at 713 Main St.

“We’re here to educate people about how cannabis can help them, or maybe that it can’t. That’s where our doctor comes in. It’s important that they come in and sit with him because we’re not just handing out prescriptions.”

Only about a third of the 2,200-square-foot space is currently open to the public with the remainder of the store hidden behind a temporary wall in anticipation for when cannabis legalization occurs later this summer. Murphy said he expects to open the retail store by August or September.

In the meantime, people can come into the clinic for a free appointment with Dr. Simon James, a family doctor from Okotoks, to discuss their medical concerns and whether they should use cannabis to treat their symptoms.

If cannabis is deemed the right medication, patients will receive a prescription, which they can use to register with a licensed producer. Currently there are five licensed producers in Alberta and 102 across the country. Depending on the licensed producer, the verification process can take two to three weeks to complete before they receive a patient ID number. Once they are approved ,they can then order marijuana online through any licensed producer in Canada.

For those who can’t wait, the store already sells various CBD products that are derived from hemp and legal to sell in Canada. Cannabidiol, or CBD, is a chemical compound in marijuana that has medical benefits, but does not have the same psychoactive effects as THC.

For Murphy opening a cannabis clinic is a deeply personal affair.

“I lost my father who committed suicide on an anti-depressant pill seven or eight years ago,” said Murphy. “Trust me, I’m going to be very happy when I sell my first legal gram over the counter. But as far as medical marijuana goes, I’d hate to see the same thing happen to somebody else.”

The new clinic is part of a growing number of Compass Cannabis Clinics found throughout Alberta and B.C., including a store in Banff, which took over the location of Canna Clinic located on Bear Street under the Lux Theatre.

In January 2017, Canna Clinic was raided by the RCMP for allegedly selling marijuana over the counter. Nine employees were charged with trafficking and possession for the purposes of trafficking. All nine employees have pleaded not guilty and no trial date has been set.

Currently there are seven Compass Cannabis Clinics across the two provinces with another seven stores opening soon.

Murphy said the company is finalizing its retail cannabis application with the AGLC for up to 25 stores in Alberta.

“There’s a lot of checks and a lot of requirements to apply for a licence, so it’s a matter of getting everything together before sending it in and doing it right,” said Murphy.

Provincial regulations currently stipulate retail stores must be at least 100 metres away from schools, hospitals, playgrounds and child care facilities. Compass Medical Clinic is about 130 metres from Lawrence Grassi Middle School, according to Murphy.

“We went to the town council last week and I think it’s about 50-50 whether we’ll be on Main Street, so that’s a little stressful for us, but we’ll see how that discussion goes,” said Murphy, adding they’d like to stay put.

He said he’s on the fence about where people should be allowed to publicly consume marijuana, but suggested it should be treated similar to the way the town treats alcohol.

“That’s a tough one,” said Murphy. “It’s not legal to walk down Main Street with a beer, so it should really be no different when it comes to cannabis.”

In April, the province introduced amendments to its cannabis legislation restricting how retail locations are named to prohibit using medical terms. Murphy said the company already has a different name for the retail store, however he declined to reveal the name of the store until a later date.

On top of provincial regulations, the store will also have to adhere to the municipality’s updated land use bylaw, which will set out where marijuana can be sold and consumed. On April 10, council held a public hearing where they heard concerns from medical experts and the business community.

According to a local entrepreneur, four out-of-town cannabis retailers have already signed commercial leases in the community, however only one location in the Bow Valley has applied for a licence with the AGLC – Fire and Flower Cannabis Co. located at 1120 Railway Ave. in Canmore.

If the AGLC approves a licence for the business, Murphy said the store will include a presentation and consultation area to view the different types of marijuana that are available for sale. There will also be a bud tender on hand to help answer questions and recommend strains.

“We’re going to be dealing with everyone from a 19-year-old kid to a 90-year-old person, so we want have someone who is highly educated in different strains to steer them in right direction,” said Murphy.

“There’s going to be people that know what they want, but there’s going to be people who have no idea.”

Prior to making a purchase customers will be able to view the different strains that are available using custom made glass containers with a magnifying glass built in. Customers will also be able to open the containers to smell each strain, however the container will be tethered to the glass counter so no one can walk away with it.

The marijuana itself will be pre-packaged and stored in a secure room.

“Currently we are partners with 19 licenced producers, so we’re going to have access to endless strains,” said Murphy, adding they also sell high end vaporizes and other cannabis related products.