Maine Cannabis Regulators Release Adult-Use Industry Draft Rules

Officials in Maine have, finally, released their draft rules for the state’s regulated cannabis industry, more than two years after voter approval and two vetoes of regulation legislation by former Gov. Paul LePage.

The largest operators would be allowed 20,000 square feet of canopy of mature plants with outdoor operators paying licensing fees of $15,000 and indoor-outdoor cultivators paying $30,000, according to an outline of the rules from Bangor Daily News. Application fees for the smallest licensees, Tier 1, are set at $100; all other tiers are $500. Nursery’s would pay $60 under the proposed rules. Manufacturers, dispensaries, and testing laboratories would each pay $250 application fees; manufacturers and retailers would pay $2,500 in licensing fees while labs would pay $1,000.

Anyone involved in any aspect of the industry would need a state-issued identification card and undergo a background check by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The fee for the background check and the card would cost $50 up front and then $50 annually.

The state will use Franwell Inc.’s Metrc seed-to-sale software to track the plants grown and distributed in the state.

The rules were drafted by the Office of Marijuana Policy and underwent additional review by Freedman and Koski, a Colorado-based analytics firm and BOTEC Analysis of California will assist the state with additional rule-making for the program. The cannabis office plans to send the draft rules to the legislature before its June adjournment.

Maine sales are not expected to begin until after the rules are adopted by the legislature.