HADCO enters agreement with medical cannabis company

On Tuesday, West Virginia’s Huntington Area Development Council (HADCO) announced that it had entered into an agreement with Trulieve WV Inc. to sell more than 70 acres of industrial property and to lease the 100,000-square-foot industrial estate on the industrial park long-term.

"The medical cannabis industry is growing in West Virginia and this new investment will have a significant impact on our local and regional economies," said David Lieving, President and CEO of the Development Council. "This project will create well-paying jobs for our residents and bring Huntington, West Virginia, to the forefront of the fast-growing cannabis industry in West Virginia. HADCO welcomes Trulieve to the Huntington area and wishes the company many years of success."

The company had already started some activities in Building 5, a warehouse and production building. Trulieve has used the building for its extension, which is carried out in a controlled indoor climate.

The company will have nine dispensaries in the state and expects to have products on shelves by the end of the year, depending on how well West Virginia grows.

Trulieve says its goal is to hire local staff. "This business, which is expected to create more than 100 full-time jobs, comes after more than a decade of site development and millions of dollars spent improving infrastructure to support investment in the site's economy and manufacturing," he said. Trulieve's investment and presence in the HADCO Business Park will continue, Lieving continued.

"Trulieve is also investing in the construction of several metal buildings for cultivation, processing and support areas for the operations," he said. "The operation will create a wide variety of jobs in the area and has the potential to create new subcontracting opportunities for West Virginia companies as well.

"We are excited to expand in West Virginia and work with HADCO as we grow our operations in the region," said Kyle Landrum, Trulieve's chief production officer. "Access to the immense talent and resources in Cabell County and the Greater Huntington Area is key to our long-term vision and we look forward to making a positive economic contribution through our growth together in the years to come."

The company has stated in the past that its primary role is to offer a new method of pain management, particularly in an area hardest hit by the opioid crisis.

West Virginia passed the Medical Cannabis Act in 2017. So far, around 2,500 patients have been registered nationwide with the Office of Medical Cannabis.