John SchroyerThe Pennsylvania Office of Medical Marijuana has a new head honcho: pharmacist Laura Mentch, who previously served as a staff pharmacist for three cannabis companies.
According to the Pittsburgh Business Times, Mentch will replace outgoing interim director, Peter Blank.
Mentch has worked in cannabis since 2019, first at the Keystone Center of Integrative Wellness and then for multistate operators Ayr Wellness and Nature’s Medicines, before accepting the government job last month.
She joins the department during a turbulent time for the Pennsylvania cannabis industry, given that patients have been complaining for years about high prices.
In addition, companies have been grappling with consolidation and a free-falling wholesale market, which has led some businesses to implement layoffs.
