Two new medical cannabis dispensaries open in Gainesville

Two new medical cannabis dispensaries opened in Gainesville Thursday.

Curaleaf, a multi-state cannabis operator, opened its first Gainesville dispensary at 2300 SW 34 St. Liberty Health Sciences opened a dispensary, which it calls a Cannabis Education Center, at 12 SW Second St., in the former Cookiegazm spot downtown.

Curaleaf previously operated a delivery fulfillment center out of Gainesville, but recently converted the center into a dispensary.

Curaleaf now operates 22 dispensaries in Florida.

Liberty Health Sciences, based out of Toronto, Canada, operates major medical cannabis cultivation and manufacturing facilities within Alachua County.

Its Gainesville dispensary is its 12th to open in the state.

Both Curaleaf and Liberty's Cannabis Education Center are open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday.

Local customers can place orders online or by phone and have medical cannabis delivered.

With their openings, Gainesville now has four medical cannabis dispensaries. Knox Medical, 3400 SW 34th St., and Trulieve, 1527 NW 6th St., opened in 2017 as Gainesville's first dispensaries.

At least three other dispensaries have shown interest in the area and have filed permits inquiring about properties around Gainesville.