Maryland: after 4 years of delay, medical cannabis finally available

Four years after legalizing medical cannabis, the state of Maryland has finally opened the first 10 cannabis dispensaries—out of the 102 planned—which will serve the 8,000 registered patients.

Maryland’s medical cannabis program has faced numerous legal battles, power struggles, and organizational problems, in addition to a lack of funds to finance the licensing commission responsible for granting cultivation and sales permits to applicant companies.

In addition, the Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission (MMCC) was accused of failing to take ethnic diversity into account when granting licenses and of failing to follow the rules it had itself established.

Once the program is fully launched, the government will have 15 contractors, 15 growers, and 102 clinics. So far, 13,000 people have applied to become medical cannabis users.

The dispensaries are scheduled to open on December 8, but the MMCC is still reviewing license applications and has so far issued only 10 dispensary licenses.

The first dispensary license holders are frustrated that they had to wait so long but are happy to finally be able to welcome patients. Phil Goldberg, who owns a farm with 6,000 plants, told the WAMU : «Several other states already have medical cannabis programs. It was really like the Wild West. Maryland took its time to get its regulations in order, because it’s a very well-thought-out program.».

For Bill Askinazi, a dispensary owner, demand will certainly outstrip supply at first. «We’ll probably have to implement quotas; not everyone will necessarily get what they want or need, but everyone will get something.» Askinazi says he is «delighted to be a pioneer in the cannabis industry» and even more «excited to see how many people we’ll be able to help, and how we’ll help them.»

Maryland's medical cannabis program is intended for people suffering from cancer, glaucoma, multiple sclerosis, anorexia, cachexia, severe or chronic pain, among other conditions.