Delaware names second medical cannabis license winner

Delaware has revealed the winner of the state’s second medical cannabis business license, and officials said they hope to announce the name of the company that will receive the third and final permit soon as well.

Multi-state MMJ force Columbia Care will receive the second license to grow and dispense medical marijuana in Delaware, where cannabis businesses must be vertically integrated. Columbia Care already has operations in California, Arizona, Massachusetts, Illinois, New York and Washington DC.

The company said in a news release it expects both its manufacturing facility and dispensary to open in the second half of 2017.

Officials hope the third dispensary, which has not yet been named, will open by next year, the News Journal reported on its website.

Delaware’s medical marijuana law, passed in 2011, permits one vertically integrated medical marijuana business in each of the state’s three counties.

The first medical cannabis business, First State Compassion, opened in June 2015 in Delaware’s most populous county, New Castle County. Columbia Care will serve Kent County, the least populous county.

Through mid-June, 1,490 patients were enrolled in Delaware’s medical marijuana program.

There were 11 applicants for the final two licenses.