Marijuana “Patient Vapor Lounge” to Open in Downtown Providence

Saturday, December 13, 2014

Kate Nagle, GoLocal Contributor

A Johnson and Wales graduate is looking to open a marijuana "patient vapor lounge" in downtown Providence for Rhode Islanders with medical marijuana cards to rent equipment -- and smoke on the premises.

Signs in the window on the Peck Street location between Pine Street and Weybosset indicate that Elevated - a "cannabis lounge" is slated to open at the location, with "rental pipes, smoking accessories, 420 gifts, and patient vapor lounge."

"What this is going to be is a patient lounge for medical marijuana patients and I am one myself," said Kevin Cintorino, who is originally from Long Island, graduated from Johnson and Wales University with an associate degree in culinary arts, a bachelors in food service management, and a minor in entrepreneurship and business finance. "When you live in certain apartments you're restricted from utilizing your meds in those areas -- some individuals have to go to friends' houses to use their medication. So as a patient, i'm giving away my space for other patients to come in, they can utilize equipment here in a safe environment here."

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Cintorino filed with the state corporations database in April 2014. "We're hoping to have this up and running by January," said Cintorino.

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Kevin Cintorino (L), and Elevated business partner Ray Dao (R)

Cintorino noted that no medical marijuana -- or any marijuana -- would be sold on the premises.

"We won't be selling marijuana, [the patients] will bring their own products. We'll be working with Slater Center," noted Cintorino of one of the two current "compassion centers" in Rhode Island. "So they can bring it here, and rent a device to utilize their medication. At first we thought about supplying, but with those gray areas, we thought they should bring their medication here instead."

Cintorino noted that he believes the the "grey areas" -- and examples form others states -- will allow him to proceed under current law.

"Currently, the Department of Health doesn't have a "vapor lounge" permit, so it's technically in the grey area," said Cintorino. "There's no laws pertaining to it yet -- the way the laws work , this will be a private establishment that people can get memberships to come in an utilize their medication, so they'll be protected as if they're doing to another patients house. "

Dr. Michael Fine, Director of HEALTH, said he hadn't heard of an establishment looking to open in they city.

"I have not heard a word about one opening," said Fine, of a "patient vapor lounge". "As for how someone would go about opening one, I have not thought about it all."

"There is no such licensed entity as a medical marijuana patient vapor lounge. The new e-cigarette law which goes into effect 01/01/2015 only covers electronic nicotine delivery systems," said Christina Batastini with HEALTH.

New Business Prospect

Neighboring tenant Don Boehner with Copacetic Rudely Elegant Jewelry said he would welcome such an establishment next door.

"I think this will be great. I thought that 420 meant they'd have 400+ gifts, but now I realize what they meant by that, of course," said Boehner, who had been in the Arcade for 23 years before being in his current location on Peck Street for the last six years. "I'm glad to have a business back next door. There have been burglaries around here. As for it being medical marijuana, well that's legal, and I think fairly socially acceptable now."

"It wasn't as expensive as we thought [to start up]," said Cintorino, who estimates he's put in $15,000 to $20,000 in renovations so far. "We did go in with the thought the space didn't seem to need that much renovation, but as it went along, we figured lets make it nice, and elegant so you don't see it in a different image. It won't be a smokefest, it will be working folks who have jobs, come here to relive stress, and alleviate their symptoms."

Related Slideshow: Marijuana Use in the New England States

According to data collected by the Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration, New Englanders are among the nation's top marijuana users in the country. See how the indivdual states compare in the slides below: