Florida tourist mecca Miami finally is allowing its first medical cannabis dispensary.
According to the Miami Herald, the City Commission voted 3-2 on Thursday to allow medical marijuana dispensary MRC44 to open, paving the way for other businesses to also apply.
City leaders had contended for years that dispensaries were illegal even though Florida legalized medical marijuana in 2016, the Herald reported.
The allowance of dispensaries in Miami could be a boon considering the city welcomed 30.8 million tourists in the fourth quarter of 2021 alone, according to TV station WFOR.
The owner of MRC44 will need to follow the same procedures as any company seeking to open in Miami, so the timeline for the dispensary starting sales is unclear.
To prepare for other cannabis companies now applying for business licenses, the city is expected to review its zoning code and discuss where MMJ businesses are allowed to set up shop.
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In the past, zoning has created problems in Florida.
When Miami Beach attempted to create zoning restrictions, which included pharmacies, MMJ dispensaries filed lawsuits, the Herald noted.
