Mainebiz

V O L . X X I I I N O. X V I I I A U G U S T 7 , 2 0 1 7 28 B eing in the cannabis industry has never been easy, especially now with the Maine Legislature still debating how to implement rules around recently legalized recreational marijuana, says Patricia Rosi, CEO of Wellness Connection of Maine, a Portland company that runs four medical marijuana dispensaries, an edibles outlet and a growing facility. She plans to get into the recreational, or adult use, marijuana business, as she prefers to call it. Maine voters approved adult use marijuana legaliza- tion in the 2016 election, allowing Mainers over 21 to possess 2.5 ounces of the substance, which would be taxed at 10% and have a statewide cultivation cap of 800,000 square feet. e Legislature delayed commercial sales of marijuana until 2018 so it can write rules for its growth and sale. Meantime, growers are sprouting up all over the state, leasing commercial real estate to the point that there is only a 0.5% vacancy rate for industrial proper- ties in Westbrook and 4.8% in South Portland, Justin Lamontagne, partner and broker at NAI e Dunham Group, told the annual Maine Real Estate and Development Association conference in January. Rosi's company, which is profi table and expects revenue of $15 million this year, about the same as last year, says she's under increasing competition from what she estimates are hundreds of smaller growers opening stores everywhere. Caregivers in Maine can open stores if they have fi ve patients, and they themselves can be a patient. ey can grow up to six medical plants per patient per year, which adds up quickly as competition. "We are planning to be players in the recre- ational market so we can be a one-stop shop," she says. " ere's room for all of us." Medical marijuana is being used for post-traumatic stress disorder, pain, stress and other problems. Between the competition and the uncertain Legislative landscape, Rosi says she feels like she's constantly on shifting sands. "I don't have a fi ve-year plan. I wish I had a six- month plan. I make decisions daily," she says. "I feel like I'm on a tightrope between two skyscrapers every Walking a tightrope as 'cannabiz' changes B y L o r i V a l i g r a Wellness Connection of Maine 685 Congress Street, Portland, ME 04102 Top Executive: Patricia Rosi, CEO Employees: 80 Revenue: $15 million Contact: 207-553-9058 / www.mainewellness.org P H O T O / T I M G R E E N WAY M E D I C A L M A R I J U A N A Patricia Rosi Top Executive Wellness Connection of Maine Patricia Rosi, CEO of the Wellness Connection, in the Portland dispensary.

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