Those selected for a marijuana business license in Delaware have been officially notified and their names released to the public.
The Office of the Marijuana Commissioner officially released a public list of all of those selected for marijuana business licenses in the First State, which includes manufacturing, cultivation and testing.
The list does not include open retail – better known as licenses for dispensary owners, although social equity retail winners were announced. Marijuana Commissioner Rob Coupe says due to the over 500 applicants competing for the 15 retail licenses, that lottery will be held in December.
But despite this delay, how fast the marijuana industry gets up and running seems to largely be falling into the hands of the cities deciding on zoning ordinances for where those businesses can be established, Coupe explains.
“It’s really not to me that they have to come up with their plans or notify me, it’s the constituents or folks that want to establish a business in their town. I mean, that’s their responsibility to decide.”
Several municipalities have been slow walking their decisions on where to allow marijuana businesses to open up in their cities, if at all, including Dover, Milford and Wilmington.
For now, Coupe says the next step will be conducting background checks on the selected applicants.
He says conversion licenses for medical marijuana centers to start selling recreationally have also made headway.
“Their conversion licenses have been reviewed and approved to advance ,and what that means is now they have to start making payments on those licenses,” Coupe explained.
Although, he is only referring to manufacturing, testing and cultivation licenses.
Retail conversion licenses are prohibited to start selling recreational products until other members of the market are up and running, which is expected to be in March 2025.
