San Francisco, October 11, 2016 -- The Apothecarium, a professional medical cannabis

dispensary, today officially opens its new 5,000 square foot dispensary in San Francisco’s

Castro neighborhood. Supervisor Scott Wiener will be speak at the event, to recognize the

dispensary’s service to neighborhood patients and the $335,000 dollars the organization has

donated to local nonprofits since it opened in 2011. The Apothecarium also announced it has

appointed Dr. Floyd Huen, a well-known local physician, as the organization’s first medical

advisor. Dr. Huen, a former medical director of Oakland’s Highland Hospital and Over Sixties

Health Clinic, will help oversee staff training of The Apothecarium’s patient consultants and

outreach to the medical community. As part of that effort, The Apothecarium announced a

program of regularly scheduled tours of their Castro dispensary for physicians and other

healthcare professionals.

“The Apothecarium is known for serving seniors, cancer patients and others with serious

medical conditions,” said Ryan Hudson, executive director of The Apothecarium. “We’re the

dispensary where oncologists send their chemotherapy patients. That’s why we’re so excited to

bring Dr. Floyd Huen on board as our first Medical Advisor. He was one of the first mainstream

physicians in California to legally prescribe medical marijuana to patients suffering from serious

conditions. Everyday people come into our dispensary who’ve just received a troubling

diagnosis or begun treatment. We want them to feel welcome, safe, and empowered to select

the right medication for their needs.”

Dr. Huen, who is board certified in internal medicine, with a special interest in geriatrics and

diabetes, began prescribing medical cannabis to patients in 1996. He is married to former

Oakland mayor, Jean Quan.

“I have fought for improved medical access for all patients for my entire career,” said Dr. Huen.

“I am excited to join The Apothecarium’s team because of their serious focus on patient care

and excellent reputation. We want The Apothecarium’s dispensaries to be places where

everyone feels welcome. We also want physicians to feel comfortable recommending the

dispensary to their patients. In addition, I believe it’s important that Asian Pacific Americans and

other minorities take positions of leadership within the cannabis business community to bring

greater diversity to the industry.”

Beginning Thursday October 20, The Apothecarium will offer tours of its Castro dispensary to

health professionals. Tours are free to doctors, pharmacists, social workers and others in similar

fields, including students. The monthly tours will be held on the third Thursday of each month,

beginning at 6:30 p.m. They will be conducted by Sara Payan, The Apothecarium’s Director of

Education. Tours last approximately one hour and will provide participants with an

understanding of the patient experience. Participants may reserve their spot on a scheduled

tour -- or request a group tour -- by emailing tours@apothecariumsf.com.

The new dispensary features an open, modern design -- with an exhibit space for local artists, a

comfortable waiting area, and -- coming soon -- a retail area where patients can purchase

accessories for their medicine.

About The Apothecarium

The Apothecarium has long been recognized as one of the nation’s premier medical marijuana

dispensaries. In 2015, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors declared October 1

“Apothecarium Day.” The dispensary is one of the few in California that batch-tests all medicine

for purity. The Apothecarium also offers free access to wellness programs, including weekly

yoga, meditation, anxiety and depression, and veteran and women’s support groups. The

organization also operates a dispensary in Las Vegas and recently received approval to open

new dispensaries in Berkeley and San Francisco’s Marina district. The two new dispensaries

are slated to open in 2017.