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.
Maryland’s medical marijuana program already off to a slow start might still be a year or more away.
"Patients probably won’t be served until late 2017 or early 2018," said Darrell Carrington, executive director of the Maryland Cannabis Industry Association. "That’s the reality."
The Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission selected the preliminary dispensary licensees in late November, but didn’t unveil their identities until Friday. The list was posted on the commission’s website.
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.
Morhaim, a physician, has said he should have disclosed his relationship with Doctor’s Orders more publicly. He declined to comment Friday.
Ten of the dispensary licenses announced Friday went to companies that already had preliminary licenses to grow the drug.
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.
In most districts, two companies were awarded licenses. Two districts District 2 in Washington County and District 41 in Northwest Baltimore had only one company win a preliminary license.
Some districts had more than two companies receive preliminary dispensary licenses. Companies that hold a preliminary grower license and also sought a dispensary license did not count toward the two-per-district total.
Preliminary dispensary licensees were awarded to four companies in District 17 in Montgomery, which includes Gaithersburg and Rockville. Seven other districts saw three companies receive licenses.
The 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.
Company ownership information was not immediately available.
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 commission picked winners of preliminary licenses based on applications that shielded the identities of the applicants.
Towson University’s Regional Economic Studies Institute was directed to rank each applicant without regard to its identity. Towson’s rankings guided the commission’s vote.
Dr. Paul W. Davies, the commission chairman, said the panel received more than 800 applications to open dispensaries.
The number was inflated because some companies applied to open a dispensary in every single legislative district. By law, an applicant can hold only one dispensary license.
Davies said announcing the dispensary licenses will help keep momentum going for the fledgling industry.
But the effort still faces obstacles.
Three companies that were passed over for preliminary growing licenses have sued the commission. With those lawsuits pending, none of the prospective growers and processors granted preliminary licenses have secured final licenses.
Black lawmakers in the General Assembly have criticized the commission for not taking racial diversity into account when awarding the licensees. Some lawmakers have discussed introducing legislation on cannabis licenses during the 2017 General Assembly session, which opens Jan. 11.
Maryland’s medical marijuana program, first authorized in 2014, has been one of the slowest in the nation to launch.
Davies said the state can now focus on setting up the software programs and staffing that will be needed to regulate the cannabis industry, in spite of unresolved legal and legislative challenges.
He said the commission also will work to educate doctors and patients about the pros and cons of medical cannabis.
The commission plans to hire a consultant to review what steps if any it could take to improve diversity in the state’s nascent medical marijuana industry.
"It’s very much at the forefront of our efforts to make sure we have ethnic and racial diversity throughout the industry," Davies said.
Carrington, of the industry association, said the dispensary license announcements were important. Now, he said, the winners can nail down their locations, refine their operating procedures and hire and train employees. That will allow the dispensaries to be ready to sell once growers and processors begin producing cannabis products.
Carrington said anticipation was high waiting for the state’s announcement.
He refreshed his browser all afternoon, and as soon as the list was posted, his phone began ringing with calls from companies that won licenses.
"It’s great we have these things moving forward," he said.
Preliminary dispensary license winners
Allegany Medical Marijuana Dispensary, District 1
The Apothecary LLC, District 1
Maryland Health & Wellness Inc., District 2
Bloomworks Wellness LLC, District 3
Wellness Institute of Maryland, District 3
Euphoria Wellness Maryland LLC, District 4
K&R Holdings Inc., District 4
DLD Enterprises Inc, District 5
MyBond LLC, District 5
Charm City Medicus LLC, District 6
GreenMart of Maryland, District 6
Chesapeake Health Sciences, District 7
Meshow LLC, District 7
Blue Ridge Wellness LLC, District 8
LMS Wellness BLLC, District 8
Farmalogics Health & Wellness LLC, District 9
Trilogy Wellness of Maryland LLC, District 9
MMRC, District 10
PalliaTech Maryland LLC, District 10
Cannavations MD LLC, District 11
Chesacanna Inc., District 11
Grower Temescal Wellness of Maryland LLC, District 11
AmediCanna Dispensary LLC, District 12
Gina Dubbe, District 12
Freestate Partners LLC, District 13
Maryland Wellness Access LLC, District 13
Grower Freestate Wellness LLC, District 13
B1 Earthgroup Inc., District 14
Herbiculture Inc., District 14
Cannabus LLC, District 15
Mikran LLC, District 15
Budding Rose LLC, District 16
Chesapeake Alternatives LLC, District 16
Grower Harvest of Maryland, District 16
Peake ReLeaf LLC, District 17
Sugarloaf Enterprises, District 17
Grower HMS Health LLC, District 17
Grower Maryland Compassionate Care & Wellness LLC, District 17
Columbia Care MD LLC, District 18
PharmaCann LLC, District 18
Grower Holistic Industries LLC, District 18
Maryland Alternative Relief Inc., District 19
Premium Medicine of Maryland LLC, District 19
GTI Maryland LLC, District 20
Maryland Medical Cannabis Co. LLC (M2C2 HerbaFi), District 20
Blu Pharms LLC, District 21
Pure Hana Synergy LLC, District 21
Grower MaryMed LLC, District 21
Bethesda Biomedical Inc., District 22
Time for Healing LLC, District 22
Our Community Wellness & Compassionate Care Center Inc., District 23
The SENTEL Group LLC, District 23
Jenny’s of Maryland I LLC, District 24
LinLar LLC, District 24
Compassionate Herbal Alternatives Inc., District 25
Metropolitan Medicinals LLC, District 25
AltPharm LLC, District 26
Jova Wellness Center, District 26
MCNA Wellness LLC, District 27
Three Creeks Dispensary, District 27
Chesapeake Apothecary, District 28
Maryland Earthworks Inc., District 28
G&J Pharmaceuticals LLC, District 29
Southern Maryland Relief LLC, District 29
Advanced Alternative Therapies LLC, District 30
Evolution Wellness LLC, District 30
Grower Kind Therapeutics USA LLC, District 30
Maryland Natural Treatment Solutions LLC, District 31
Maryland Physician Partners LLC, District 31
Alternative Medicine Maryland LLC, District 32
GPD LLC, District 32
Durjaya LLC, District 33
MGTM LLC, District 33
Blue Mountain LLC, District 34
Revolution Maryland Retail LLC, District 34
Four Green Fields LLC, District 35
Nature Care & Wellness LLC, District 35
Hippocratic Growth LLC, District 36
PharmKent LLC, District 36
Peninsula Alternative Health LLC, District 37
Tilstar LLC, District 37
OC Botanicals LLC, District 38
Positive Energy LLC, District 38
MaryLeaf LLC, District 39
MI Dispensary, District 39
Chesapeake Integrated Health Institute LLC, District 40
WadeWomen LLC-Dr. Dot’s, District 40
H&G Maryland LLC, District 41
AGG Wellness LLC, District 42
CWS LLC, District 42
Grower Curio Dispensary BC LLC, District 42
Blair Wellness Center LLC, District 43
Medical Products and Services Inc., District 43
Charm City Relief Partners LLC, District 44
Mission Maryland LLC, District 44
CannaMD LLC, District 45
Hallaway LLC, District 45
GreenLabs Inc., District 46
Pure Life Medical Inc., District 46
Grower Doctors Orders Maryland LLC, District 46
CannaPharmacy Maryland LLC, District 47
Town Center Wellness LLC, District 47
News Moderator: Katelyn Baker
Full Article: Maryland Panel Names Medical Marijuana Dispensary Winners
Author: Pamela Wood
Contact: (410) 332-6000
Photo Credit: Cameron Zegers
Website: The Baltimore Sun
