This story was written and reported by Patch Editor Jacob Baumgart.
MARYLAND — The state of Maryland is preparing to license its next round of dispensaries. This signals further growth for an industry that’s boomed since recreational marijuana was legalized on July 1, 2023.
The state has 96 dispensaries, which are listed at the bottom of this story.
Maryland officials are in the process of awarding another 83 dispensary licenses. Seventy-five will be standard dispensaries, and eight will be micro, delivery-only dispensaries. The state will also award licenses for 40 growers (16 standard and 24 micro) and 56 processors (32 standard and 24 micro).
Maryland received 1,708 applications for these 179 available licenses by the December 2023 deadline. A lottery will now distribute the licenses.
“Today’s announcement is another step forward in fulfilling Maryland’s commitment to building an equitable and inclusive cannabis industry,” Maryland Cannabis Administration Acting Director Will Tilburg said in a September 2023 press release announcing the application window. “This application round will more than double the number of cannabis businesses in the State, and each award will be to a verified social equity applicant.”
Recreational marijuana started with a bang and has continued to scale ever since.
Gold Leaf,