Maryland officials recently announced that they have received more than 1,000 applications for medical cannabis licenses. Of the 1,081 total applications, 811 are for dispensing licenses. The other applicants are more evenly distributed between hopeful cultivation and processing operations.
The first step in approving an application was set to begin in January. However, the licensing process may now be delayed because of the sheer amount of interest, which is much higher than anticipated.
Maryland’s medical marijuana program was signed into law in 2014, but the program is still not operational. The law is more restrictive than others, in that edible products are not allowed, and doctors are not legally able to prescribe medical cannabis alongside more traditional medications, particularly painkillers.
“I can’t have access to a pain manager unless I give up the cannabis,” explained Barry Considine, a self-prescribed MMJ patient who was on the front lines of Maryland’s medical cannabis advocacy efforts.
Photo Credit: Mark
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