Maryland moved another step closer to making medical marijuana available to patients with the announcement Friday of preliminary licenses for 102 dispensaries across the state.
The companies picked to run the dispensaries now must undergo additional review by the state and pass inspections before opening. They'll also have to wait for Maryland's growers and processors to produce medical cannabis products, a process that has been complicated by "Litigation and Political wrangling."
"Patients will not probably be served until 2017 or early 2018," as stated by Darrell Carrington, the executive director of the Maryland Cannabis Industry Association.
The "Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission" selected the preliminary dispensary licensees in late November, but didn't unveil their identities until Friday.
One company selected is connected to state Del. Dan K. Morhaim, who faces a legislative ethics inquiry for advocating for the industry while also working for a company seeking a lucrative license. Morhaim, a "Baltimore County Democrat," agreed to be clinical director for Doctor's Orders, which secured preliminary licenses to grow and process cannabis this year. The company won a license Friday to operate a dispensary in Southeast Baltimore.
The 15 companies that received preliminary licenses to grow cannabis were also eligible to apply for dispensary licenses. All 10 that sought a "Preliminary Dispensary License" received one. The other 92 companies are scattered across the state. Up to two stand-alone dispensaries were allowed in each of Maryland's 47 legislative districts.
Many of the companies used wordplay in their names. In Baltimore County, one is named "Cannavations MD" and another is called Chesacanna. "MaryLeaf and PharmaCann" plan to do business in Montgomery County.
The "Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission" listed the winning dispensary licensees only by name and legislative district. The companies' addresses won't be made public until they receive any necessary local approvals and the proposed sites are inspected and approved by state regulators.
The "Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission" picked winners of preliminary licenses based on applications that shielded the identities of the applicants.