WEST PLAINS, Mo. — The state of Missouri is awarding nearly 200 business dispensary licenses to distribute medical marijuana. West Plains will be home to two of those dispensaries.

Out of nine West Plains applicants for dispensary licenses, two were awarded: Harvest of Missouri LLC and OWG III, LLC.

“These are dispensaries, not growth extraction facilities. Strictly selling the product, in stores, in a retail nature,” City of West Plains’ Dustin Harrison explained.

The two dispensaries will be opposite of each other on Bruce Smith Parkway.

“One of them is an old gas station location. The other one appears to be a drive-thru liquor store location right now,” Harrison said.

Once the dispensary facilities finish business with the state, they will have to apply for a business license through the city.

“So they will have to get that business license and then any alterations to the building or building codes will have to be enforced when we go in and do an inspection,” Harrison added.

Vapor Maven, a one-stop vape, CBD and glass shop, is within walking distance of the future dispensaries.

“I am very excited. I know it will help bring a lot of business to us…hopefully,” Mckenna Coffel told KY3.

Manager McKenna Coffel recently applied for her medical marijuana card.

“I actually broke my back last year in multiple places, so I myself am excited about it because I don’t like taking a lot of medicine, you know. I feel like it’s just better for everybody,” Coffel stated.

Caleb Dieterle has followed Missouri’s push for medical marijuana closely.

Friday’s news is what he’s been waiting for.

“As a Marine Corp veteran whose exploring options to deal with PTSD and trauma, medical marijuana has been recommended but has not been easily accessible for Missouri and so hearing that it came to West Plains means a lot to me,” Dieterle said.

But it could still be some time before patients can start legally buying.

“The reality of it is, you probably won’t actually see the retail side of it until sometime maybe in July or August and that’s provided that everything’s fast-tracked and pretty seamless,” Harrison exclaimed.

The next closest dispensary to West Plains will be located in Mountain Grove.