The hottest competition for medical marijuana dispensary licenses in Maryland is in some of the richest areas of the country.
The most competitive will be in the state’s 20th Senate District, which is part of wealthy Montgomery County and borders Washington DC, according to a breakdown of MMJ business license applications released by the Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission.
All but three of the 20th Senate District’s applicants are from Maryland, with two others based in Arizona and one in Illinois.
The cannabis commission received 29 dispensary applications apiece for three other well-to-do Senate districts, including District 17, which is also in Montgomery County, District 46 in Baltimore and District 42 in Baltimore County.
Baltimore proper has six of the state’s Senate districts, which collectively were the targets of 104 dispensary applications.
Three Senate districts in Howard County, the nation’s third-wealthiest county, collectively received 62 applications.
Regulators also received 146 grower applications, 124 processor applications and 124 processor applications. The vast majority of applicants are from Maryland, but businesses from California, Illinois and Arizona applied as well.
State regulators hope to award licenses sometime in early 2016.
Applicants are competing for 15 cultivation licenses and 109 dispensary licenses. There’s no limit to how many processors/infused products companies may be licensed.
