Almost 170 prospective recreational cannabis operators have applied for business licenses in Maine, where adult-use marijuana sales are expected to begin this spring.
That is more than twice the number of applications Maine had received by the middle of December.
The breakdown of the license applications is:
- 81 for retail stores.
- 64 for cultivation facilities.
- 24 for manufacturing businesses.
Maine also expects to receive one or two applications this month for testing facilities, according to David Heidrich, spokesman for the Office of Marijuana Policy.
Meanwhile, officials have determined that almost 80 applications to run marijuana businesses are complete.
Now the Office of Marijuana Policy will review the applications and issue conditional approvals.
After that, adult-use cannabis businesses must seek approvals from the municipalities in which they wish to operate, according to Heidrich.
Marijuana business applications being reviewed by the state include:
- 43 retailers.
- 25 cultivation facilities.
- 10 manufacturing operations.
Maine has been trying to launch recreational sales since 2016, when voters approved an adult-use market.
– Associated Press