Joseph Friedman R.Ph MBA is the founding member and principal at Professional Dispensaries of Illinois, (PDI) Medical LLC, a unique medical cannabis dispensary owned and operated by healthcare professionals (Pharmacists and Nurses) and cannabis experts.

Friedman was Director of Marketing and Business Development at Mark Drugs LLC, a specialty compounding pharmacy in Illinois.

Friedman made history in the fall of 2016 by being the first medical cannabis dispensary in the country to have 4thyear pharmacy students do a clinical rotation in a medical cannabis dispensary.

He has a pharmacy degree from the University of Illinois College of Pharmacy, and a MBA from Illinois’ Lake Forest Graduate School of Management.  

He was Director of Pharmacy at Topco Associates LLC, and was Senior Director of Pharmacy Marketing at the Nash Company in Minneapolis.

Friedman has become a content expert in the scientific, legal, social, political, and financial challenges facing U.S. entrants to the burgeoning medical marijuana industry. He has contributed to several published articles in the Chicago Tribune, Pharmacy Practice News, Crain’s Chicago Business, TheStreet.com, The Daily Herald and the UIC College of Pharmacy newsletter.  In the December 2013 issue of Drug Topics, Friedman wrote an article entitled, “Should You Establish a Medical Marijuana Dispensary?”  This article has been syndicated in healthcare trade journals across the country.  In April 2014, Friedman presented at the NASP (National Association of Specialty Pharmacy) EXPO on the topic, “Specialty Pharmacists role in the legalization, distribution & therapy management of medical marijuana.

Friedman works tirelessly to advocate for pharmacists’ involvement in our nation’s medical cannabis industry, and has been a public speaker on the topic of medical cannabis and pharmacist involvement at pharmacy conventions across the nation.