SHAMOKIN — A medical marijuana dispensary coming to Shamokin is still on target to open at the end of July, according to a company spokesman on Thursday.

PharmaCann Penn LLC, operating under the brand Verilife, will open at 520-522 N. Shamokin St. The dispensary permit was issued in December 2018 for Northumberland County.

“We at Verilife are incredibly grateful to the mayor and Shamokin officials who have worked with us to permit the safe construction of our dispensary through the recent public health emergency (of COVID-19),” said Brandon Nemec, the company’s government and regulator affairs associate. “Our construction team remains on target to open our doors to the public by the end of July. We are very excited to begin operations, and bring local jobs and revenue sources to the greater Shamokin community.”

Renee Straup, the company’s business development and community outreach coordinator, said the company is waiting on inspections from the state Department of Health. There will be a small window after state approval and prior to the grand opening in which public tours for media and elected officials will be allowed, she said.

PharmaCann, through NLCP 520 Shamokin Street Pa LLC, finalized a real estate transaction on March 3 to purchase 520-522 N. Shamokin St. for $950,000. The 4,700 square-foot lot was sold to PharmaCann from Harvest of North Central PA LLC, which relinquished its dispensary permit as part of a settlement with the Pennsylvania Department of Health after it violated the terms of the license.

The former Shamokin office at 235 W. Spruce St. of Dr. Raymond Kraynak, who federal authorities arrested in December 2017 for allegedly prescribing more than 6 million opioids, was the company’s original location in Shamokin. The property needed too much work, said according to company officials.

PharmaCann, founded in 2014, is licensed in eight states to grow, process and dispense medical cannabis products for adult and pediatric patients, as well as for responsible adult use. The dispensaries operate under the brand Verilife, according to PharmaCann’s website.

Shamokin Mayor John Brown said the city has not heard from PharmaCann in a few months, but officials are still excited about the company opening.

“It’s creating jobs and will put people in our downtown, and taxes will be paid on the building,” said Brown. “It’s a win-win for us.”

Also in Northumberland County, Parea BioSciences was deemed operational by the state in April to operate a medical marijuana grower/processor facility in Coal Township. The focus is on growing flowers first and expanding the product selection throughout the year, according to the company’s page on Facebook.

Parea, through its holding company of MNK 03 Holdings, purchased 10 acres of land from Northumberland County near the new prison in Coal Township for $1.5 million in December. Majority Commissioners Sam Schiccatano and Rick Shoch originally approved the option in May 2018 and the medical marijuana grower/processor was approved for a license in July 2018.

A representative of Parea was unable to be reached on Thursday, but social media posts on Facebook show they have been growing product.

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