A New York-based company has purchased a Central Florida pot operation for $43 million in cash and stock, amid expectations that the industry will explode following the voter-approved legalization of medical marijuana more than a year ago.
iAnthus Capital Management purchased the assets of GrowHealthy Holdings, a Lake Wales marijuana operator affiliated with McCrory’s Sunny Hill Nursery, except for the marijuana license. The transfer of ownership of the license is pending approval by the state Department of Health.
Under the deal, which involves the marijuana operator and its affiliated businesses, iAnthus is paying GrowHealthy $12.5 million for its Lake Wales real estate and 200,000-square-foot cultivation and processing facility. GrowHealthy, one of the state’s 13 licensed medical marijuana operators, will also receive $30 million worth of shares in iAnthus, which is traded on the Canadian Securities Exchange. iAnthus will also purchase the Lake Wales company’s $5 million bond, required by the state for all marijuana operators.
The New York company also owns marijuana operations in Massachusetts, Vermont, Colorado and New Mexico and has a pending acquisition in New York, according to iAnthus President Randy Maslow.
“Florida is really going to be our number one operation, in terms of size and everything else,” Maslow said.
GrowHealthy started distributing marijuana to patients via delivery in November but has not opened a retail dispensary.
According to a press release Wednesday announcing the deal, the company is planning to open a dispensary in Palm Beach County later this year.
“As one of the largest states in the U.S. with a population of nearly 21 million people and favorable demographics, Florida and its medical cannabis market provide a tremendous opportunity for iAnthus and its shareholders. The state’s population includes a large percentage of older adults who can derive significant benefits from medical cannabis, and the Florida program has witnessed a rapid rise in its registered patient base since passage of the law,” Maslow said in the release.
Voters in November 2016 approved a constitutional amendment that broadly legalized medical marijuana and helped fuel a battle for a limited number of licenses. About 45,000 patients have received state-issued identification cards allowing them to purchase the marijuana treatment, but the number is expected to dramatically increase in coming years.
–Dara Kam, News Service of Florida
Fernando Melendez says
Unfortunately this is not a good sign, it indicates the growth of the industry, I oppose the medical use of marijuana. Just don’t buy it.
Dave says
Let the patients grow their own, do not allow big buisness to take from the people what God intended to be a free medicine
Chris A Pickett says
You don’t need a company to grow pot, it is a weed and is simple to grow. This is the problem, everybody wants to profit off the hardships of others. Perhaps they should have outlawed corn and wheat during prohibition, after all that is the primary source of making alcohol…… nope guess that would have been stupid TOO. And if you don’t like the use of Medicinal marijuana, DON’T USE IT. You don’t get to decide what is good for the patient UNLESS YOU ARE A DOCTOR!
Mm patient says
It’s onlythe pill heads and junkies and pharmaceutical companies who oppose marijuana. 😉
Really says
A Company outside the ST. Shouldn’t be able to control the manufacturing of this product..All monies should be kept here in Fl. Grow it on the beach dunes. Duel purpose virtually no $$ spent.
Anonymous says
Mafia
Layla says
I think I agree with Dave on this one. Big money is being made here and none of it going to help the community. Not good when you are on track to become the drug capitol of the world. The rush to give the states this right has only resulted in creating cartels right here in the US under the guise of helping people. These growers are making a fortune off the misfortunes of others. I don’t think that’s progress.