SPRINGFIELD, Ohio (WDTN) – This month marks one year since medical marijuana has been sold in the Miami Valley. Since the launch, there have been some changes, a few because of coronavirus.

Pure Ohio Wellness has two dispensaries in the Miami Valley, a grow site and a processing facility.

The owner, Larry Pegram, said it was a slow start, but they’re now seeing a steady increase of patients at their dispensaries.

This weekend, both Pure Ohio Wellness dispensaries, Springfield and Dayton locations, are celebrating the one year anniversary of being open with some deals. Pegram said it’s been a learning experience but they’ve grown a lot.

“Patients were unsure and people just didn’t know yet, but now it’s really come around,” said Pegram. “It’s exciting to see how many people now that have had real issues that have been helped with cannabis, but also how it’s becoming more acceptable as a medicine.”

He said the medical marijuana program has relaxed many rules in the last few weeks. Physicians can now prescribe medical marijuana via telemedicine and dispensaries can offer curbside sales.

They also have changed the mandatory waiting period between purchases from 90 to 45 days.

“In the last four months we’ve doubled our business at both of our dispensaries,” said Pegram.

In Ohio, as of June 30, more than 91,000 patients have purchased medical marijuana.

Pure Ohio Wellness also has a cultivation site in Springfield that opened a few months before the dispensary. Pegram said at the same spot, they are just weeks away from opening a processing site.

“We’ll be making our own edibles, vape pens, gummies, and tinctures,” said Pegram.

Pegram said they’re using the majority of space at their 25,000 square foot cultivation site and will soon ask the state for an expansion. He said all in all, the program has really grown the past year and is only continuing to do so.

“Almost 95 percent of our employees are local employees between all three companies,” said Pegram. “Once we open our new location in London we’ll be close to 100 employees total between all companies. It’s exciting to be able to provide medicine to the people in the area but also provide jobs to the people in the area.”

Pure Ohio Wellness has a dispensary at 1711 W. Main St. in Springfield and at 1875 Needmore Rd. in Dayton. They will open up their third dispensary in London in the coming weeks.