Iowa receives 18 letters of intent for two medical marijuana dispensary permits

Two vacant Iowa medical marijuana dispensary licenses have attracted 18 pre-applications, or letters of intent.

The dispensary licenses have been available since Have a Heart Compassionate Care, based in Washington state, closed its dispensaries in Council Bluffs and Davenport in March.

Final applications are due June 8, and the identities of applicants and their proposed dispensary locations will be known June 19, according to the Quad-City Times.

There’s no guarantee Council Bluffs and Davenport will be home to either of the new medical marijuana dispensaries.

The state currently has three licensed dispensaries, operated by Iowa Cannabis Company and MedPharm Iowa. Med Pharm applied for the two vacant licenses, the newspaper reported.

Iowa’s MMJ industry took another hit in April, when Acreage Holdings announced it would temporarily close its Cedar Rapids cannabis manufacturing facility over coronavirus concerns.

The state’s medical marijuana law allows for the licensing of five dispensaries and two manufacturers.