FULTON COUNTY, N.Y. (NEWS10) — New York State’s Cannabis Control Board continues setting up the framework for regulating the “budding” industry. NEWS10 checked in with a local medical marijuana facility to see how their operations have evolved so far.

Since the group tasked with approving the state’s rules for the cannabis industry first met on October 5th, medical marijuana producer Vireo Health has wasted no time getting with the program and expanding their production to include whole flower products, not previously permitted for sale at dispensaries.

“The whole flower product we’re talking about is just cannabis flower that is cured and packaged as a whole bud, in a child resistant jar, that a patient can bring home and use for vaporization,“ explained Kaitlyn Nedo, New York General Manager for Vireo.

The whole flower being grown in Vireo’s Johnstown greenhouse will soon sit on shelves alongside edibles and extracts, which were the options authorized when medical marijuana was legalized in New York several years ago.

“Whole flower will allow our patients greater accessibility to our products, and also at less cost since there’s less processing needed,” Nedo said.

The cannabis control board met again Thursday to continue expanding regulations for medical marijuana patients. The regulations say patients can grow 6 plants each at home, but no more than 12 plants per household.

Designated caregivers may grow plants on behalf of patients under 21 or for patients with disabilities.

The regulations do not permit home cultivation for personal use for those not in the medical program.

The cannabis control board will be posting the draft regulations online, and a 60 day public comment period will follow.