Maryland MMJ Agency Releases Rankings for License Winners

Maryland’s medical marijuana commission on Wednesday released how it ranked top applicants for grower and processor licenses in the state, shedding light on its decisionmaking process.

The rankings included two growers that were dropped from the top 15 and two that were moved up for geographical reasons, the Associated Press reported.

Commissioners earlier this month named 15 preliminary winners for licenses in the processor category and 15 in the grower category.

The two growers that were dropped from the top 15 planned to operate in areas that already had winning applicants. The two companies that were bumped up intended to locate in areas that did not have other winning applicants, the AP reported.

The partners in one of the two growing companies that was moved up, Holistic Industries in Prince George’s County, include Josh Genderson, a medical marijuana grower in Washington DC, and Nelson Sabatini, a former health secretary under two Maryland governors, the AP reported. Holistic also had Gerard Evans, Maryland’s top-earning lobbyist, on its team.

Green Leaf Medical, in Frederick County, was the top-ranked cultivator applicant. And Curio Manufacturing was the No. 1 processor applicant. The commission didn’t list Curio’s location.

The preliminary winners must still undergo wide-ranging background checks and other due diligence in the next phase of a two-stage approval process.