Eric Halpern \u201912 (PHARM) and Rick Carbray \u201975 (PHARM) both grew up in the traditional world of small, community pharmacies. Now they’re back in that type of business, but in a new and non-traditional way.<\/p>\n
Halpern\u2019s grandfather, Irv Kurtzman \u201959 (PHARM), owned his own pharmacies for decades in Hartford and South Windsor, and was the inspiration for Eric to get in the business. Carbray got interested in pharmacy work from his uncle and, after graduating from UConn, owned his own pharmacies in the Hamden area.<\/p>\n
Now, Carbray is the chief executive officer and Halpern is an assistant manager for Fine Fettle, a medical marijuana dispensary, which has\u00a0 locations\u00a0 in Newington and Willimantic.<\/p>\n
Fine Fettle is one of 18 licensed dispensaries for the medical marijuana program in the state of Connecticut. Unlike other states, in Connecticut the pharmacist is directly involved in the dispensing of the medical marijuana product. The pharmacist advises patients on what type of product would work best, the dosage, and the best time of day to use it.<\/p>\n
There are 38 qualifying conditions for patients in Connecticut to get a card allowing them to use medical marijuana, and every condition is approved by a board of physicians. The ailments run the gamut from chronic pain of at least six months to nerve diseases, cancer pain, and epilepsy. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is also a qualifying condition, and the only mental health condition that qualifies in Connecticut.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe law that created medical marijuana in Connecticut was passed the same month I graduated from UConn,\u201d says Halpern, who initially worked in the retail pharmacy field upon graduation. \u201cIt wasn\u2019t really on my radar in school, because it didn\u2019t exist.\u201d<\/p>\n
Work at a large, retail pharmacy can be challenging, filling hundreds of prescriptions per day.<\/p>\n