Moncton medical marijuana company getting ready to roll

Atlantic Canada's first medical marijuana grower could be shipping out product as early as August.

Moncton-based OrganiGram Inc. is one of just 13 licensed medical marijuana producers in Canada.

Company president and CEO Jim Laffoley says it can be a challenging process getting into the industry during the early stages of medical marijuana operations in Canada.

"It is a very difficult,difficult, expensive process to go through. And it's rigorous, not just in thesense of preparing a facility that's of medical grade production quality, but it's also a matter ofhaving the stick-to-it-of-ness to be an entrepreneur in an industry that can be challenging on the front end," he told CBC News.

Health Canada received close to 400 applications to grow marijuana. OrganiGramwas granted a licence to operate a 20,000-square-foot plant in a Moncton industrial park.

The companywill grow four types of marijuana, each one addressing adifferent medical need, such as pain management, appetite control and compassionate end-of-life treatment.

Orders will be shipped directly to patients across the country.

Lafolley says prices will be set between $6 and $9a gram.

He expects 25 per cent of customers will have some form of medical coverage for the marijuana.

Depending on demand, Laffoley has said his company could triple in size within three years.