Eight more dispensaries have received their final licenses to operate in Maryland since the start of the year.
With those additions, 30 dispensaries, 12 processors and 14 growers are operating in the state’s medical cannabis industry. The industry is still in its infancy and growing. The Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission pre-approved 15 cannabis growing businesses, 15 processors, 102 dispensaries and a handful of testing laboratories in 2016. Over a year later, several of these companies are still working toward their final licenses.
The commission oversees the regulation of the industry and is in charge of granting business and patient licenses, evaluating and inspecting cannabis businesses and continuing to manage related laws throughout the state. Joy A. Strand, executive director of the Medical Cannabis Commission, said regulators are continuing to work through the licensing process with the remaining dispensary companies over the coming months. At this point, there is no expected deadline for when all viable businesses will be cleared.
Strand has said she knows patients have been frustrated with the slow upstart of things, but said it is important for people to be patient. It’s expected to take several more months for Maryland’s cannabis supply to catch up with patient demand, and for dispensaries to be able to serve all of the patients in their jurisdictions.