A major hospital in the Atlanta metro area will receive a $200 million infusion of federal dollars to help fund its expansion of a medical marijuana center that will open next year.

A group of Emory patients and their family members sued the state last year, claiming the state had overstepped its authority when it allowed a new dispensary in January that would grow, process and sell marijuana for a fee to patients.

Emory President Michael T. Woodman and other hospital officials have been adamant that the new facility will be operated by a licensed doctor.

The $200-million infusion of funds will come in the form of a $100-million loan from the Department of Housing and Urban Development, according to a release from the Emory Hospital Foundation.

The loan has been approved by a federal court.

Emanceys current facility is located on a former manufacturing plant in the northeast part of Atlanta.

In addition to helping Emory expand its existing medical marijuana dispensary, the infusion will also help Emory make new medical marijuana-infused products.

The group has asked the U.S. Department of Justice to take legal action against the state for failing to comply with the federal government’s ban on medical marijuana, and for failing, for the second time, to provide the state with a permit to operate a dispensary.

Empowering Patients”The Department of Health and Human Services has refused to issue a permit,” Emory’s Woodman said in a statement.

“The Emory Foundation will use the funds to support Emory University’s medical marijuana research and development program, and to create new programs to help patients access marijuana products from the state.”

The Empowerment Project is also working on expanding its marijuana cultivation facilities, Woodman added.

Emoweth will continue to work with Emory to support our mission and work with the Department to help provide access to quality medical marijuana.

Emowering Patients’ lawsuit was filed on behalf of patients who say they suffered seizures and other medical issues while living in Emorys facilities and have been denied access to medical marijuana due to the state’s medical pot ban.

Emoers lawsuit is the second major medical marijuana lawsuit Emory has had to respond to.

In April, Emory agreed to pay $2.3 million to settle a separate lawsuit from the family of a patient who said she was forced to take illegal drugs to treat a seizure disorder in 2014 and 2015.

The Emowethe Patient Act requires that any patient with a debilitating condition be given access to the medicines they need to treat their condition, as well as to receive support and care.

The Emowhether Patient Act also requires that physicians prescribe medicine, including marijuana, to treat patients with debilitating medical conditions that are not covered by state medical marijuana laws.