By Ramone Tarnaski

It is an honor to bring VMO to life in St. Louis, and I am grateful for the opportunity to open my own growth center in the city where I was born and was born, in the heart of a great city.

After my NBA career and retirement, I focused all my energy and resources on making a positive impact in my community. I spent a lot of time developing young leaders in the city and working to remove the stigma of mental health. VMO will serve as a hub for young people, especially those suffering from debilitating conditions, including PTSD, as well as veterans.

I see the work we've already done and I think it will be a model deal for the community soon, "Hughes said. Former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie will also be part of the company.

Councilwoman Cara Spencer said it will be the first of its kind in New Jersey and one of the largest in the country. It will be a big step forward for marijuana legalization in this state, "Spencer said.

The bill's sponsor, Rep. John Wisniewski, R-Middlesex County, sponsored the bill along with Rep. Cara Spencer, D-Essex County.

In this sense, I am honored to have the support of my colleagues in the New Jersey House of Representatives for this bill.

According to a press release the dispensary will serve the St. Louis community and help patients suffering from a number of recognized, qualifying conditions for medical cannabis use, including cancer, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, glaucoma, Crohn's disease and other diseases that doctors have determined could be treated with medical cannabis. Hughes, Harrington, and Givins believe the company's presence in St. Louis is critical to bringing economic development to economically disadvantaged areas of the city and bringing diversity to the cannabis industry. Viola has been married to Harrington since 2011 and the couple shares son Joseph with his wife. Missouri became one of 33 states to legalize cannabis as a medicine last year after the Second Amendment passed by a 66-34 majority.

The brand is named after Al's grandmother, who suffered from glaucoma and diabetes and found solace in cannabis. The pharmacy is expected to begin serving patients in April 2021, according to a company press release.