Lafayette-based medical marijuana pharmacy to open New Iberia location (2024)

A second medical marijuana pharmacy in Acadiana will open in New Iberia next month.

The Apothecary Shoppe held a ribbon-cutting ceremony Thursday morning at its location at 1700 Center St. The pharmacy is scheduled open Sept. 7, pharmacist and co-founder Eric Vidrine said.

Vidrine, who landed the only license to operate a medical marijuana pharmacy in the Lafayette region five years ago, opened his first pharmacy at 620 Guilbeau Road, Suite A, in 2019.

State law allows the 10 existing pharmacies to open a new location only after hitting 3,500 active patients, reports indicate.

Vidrine and his son, Blair, who is the company’s chief operating officer, began looking at opening a satellite location about 18 months ago once the legislation was approved, he said. Once the company reaches 7,000 customers, it can open a third location, according to state guidelines.

The pharmacy is at over 10,000 patients currently, he said. Much of that increase was the result of the lawmakers allowing pharmacies to sell the smokable flower form of the drug last year, and 70% of the business now involves the flower sales.

The company added 700 new patients last quarter.

“We have a lot of customers who are traveling upward of an hour each way on a weekly basis to come see us,” Blair Vidrine said. “This new location is going to be great in terms of not only expanding the Louisiana medical marijuana program but also greatly improving patient access to this medicine.”

Vidrine is also planning to move his Lafayette location in a development under construction at 2114 Ambassador Caffery Parkway next to the former Winn-Dixie Marketplace.

Local developer Phil Devey, who is under contract to buy part of the property, sought a variance from the Board of Zoning Adjustments with Lafayette Consolidated Government to forego parking requirements on the property.