Garfield Ridge Medical Marijuana Dispensary Opens

Midway Dispesary opened on April 26, less than a month ago, as the only dispensary of it's kind in southwest Chicago. As most dispensary owners who jumped at the new industry's opportunities, they expected huge numbers, but the state's patient registration is difficult enough that there are only 6,200 patients of the anticipated 50,000. One patient, Joey Pesoli, has gone through never-ending hospital visits and prescription pain-killer addiction only to finally find relief in medical marijuana. Shops like Midway Dispensary sell smokable buds, medicated food, and cannabis oils for vaping. 

“It’s an insane process to get it,” said Joey Pesoli, 27, of the 5300 block of New England. He’s been a medical marijuana user for the past three months. “I don’t have to go through this to go into a doctor’s office and get a hundred OxyContin pills. What is really more dangerous?”

Marijuana has changed Pesoli’s life. Smoking a small amount relieves his pain and helps him sleep. He is now on a small dose of pain medication and plans to kick prescribed pain pills completely.

“Medical marijuana is so much better than pain pills,” he said. “People aren’t stupid anymore.”