Palm Springs Medical Marijuana Dispensary Reopens

After more than a year of paperwork and bringing the business up to code, Cannahelp, a medicinal marijuana dispensary, celebrated Wednesday it’s grand reopening.

It’s been a long wait for medical marijuana patient, Ava Weinstein.

“I was born legally blind, and I use it for muscle spasms in my eyes,” she said.

Weinstein moved to the desert in January, and for months, she traveled to Los Angeles for medical marijuana. She also bought it from illegal cannabis dispensaries in Palm Springs.

“I’ve been on very heavy muscle relaxers for almost 30 years, and… I would take those pills, and I can’t get out of bed in the morning sometimes because of the way it affects my body,” she explained.

“It’s a monumental day to finally get the doors opens for our patients,” said Stacy Hochanadel, owner of Cannahelp, which had been shut down for 14 months.

The city forced the closure because it was in violation of the cannabis dispensary ordinance.

Several cannabis dispensaries still operate illegally within the city limits. The city only approved two legal dispensaries. But the city council may soon approve a third.

“We need to make sure that we’re looking out for patients to get the best medicine they can get for their medicinal problem,” said Hochanadel.

Desert Organic Solutions is scheduled to open on Memorial Day weekend, and much like Cannahelp, the city permit allows them to grow the marijuana that they sell.

“We’re the first in the state of California,” said Hochanadel. “The first in the United States, actually, to be licensed by the city with an ordinance that governs is to grow our medicine on-site.”

Hochanadel expected nearly 100 patients to visit the store on its opening day. More than 4,000 patients are already preregistered with the dispensary, according to Hochanadel.

“Everybody coming to this store’s gotta be in a good mood,” said Weinstein.