The Maryland Cannabis Administration plans to conduct another lottery on June 28 to award 31 new opportunities to start a cannabis business in the state.
The lottery will award dispensary licenses that were stalled because of litigation in Talbot and Calvert counties, along with any other licenses that have not yet been awarded as part of a social-equity-focused round that began earlier this year. The state gave out 174 licenses in a lottery on March 14, just shy of the 210 total dispensary, grower and processor licenses that MCA can give out according to state law.
“It’s a good thing for all the applicants who get selected,” said Justin E. Tepe, an attorney with Baker Donelson who specializes in cannabis law. “They get another chance to win one of these licenses they really want.”
The MCA had to delay the lottery in Talbot County because of a case filed in Anne Arundel County Circuit Court by applicant KG Wellness #4. The applicant claimed that issues with the state’s computer system led to the company’s inability to submit its application in time and called for an injunction to stop the lottery. The lawsuit was voluntarily dismissed on June 12. Over 1,700 people applied for licenses, showcasing the large demand to join the industry.
Click here to read the rest of the article written by Matt Hooke over at Washington Business Journal
