Delaware’s Adult-Use Marijuana Market will Launch on August 1st, Regulators Announced on Tuesday.
Around two years after legalization in the state, recreational cannabis sales will begin. All medical marijuana licensees have been approved to sell to adults 21 or older.
Joshua Sanderlin, Marijuana commissioner, said that the start of sales of marijuana for adult use reflects our team’s tireless efforts, as well as our partnerships with industry players, state agencies and local leaders.
He said that the Office of the Marijuana Commissioner will continue to grant conditional licenses for previously approved applicants in order to allow them to begin their operations.
Gov. Matt Meyer (D), who celebrated the news, said that “Delaware took a significant step forward in launching an adult-use legal cannabis market which prioritizes safety, equity and accountability.”
This new industry, he added, will create opportunities for entrepreneurs while generating vital revenue that can be used to improve our public schools, infrastructures, and health care systems. The revenue will also allow us to make investments in communities that have been most affected by the drug war, correcting past injustices and making sure the new market benefits reach all corners of our state.
“I’m very proud of the fact that we have been working quickly to develop a market for cannabis products which reflects Delaware values, and offers more opportunity for Delawareans,” said Governor Carney.
OMC originally projected that the recreational sale would begin in March. However, complications caused by obtaining a FBI fingerprint background check code have delayed implementation. A bill was passed in April by lawmakers to solve the problem. Subsequently, the FBI issued the code the marijuana law required.
Late last year, OMC held a series of licensing lotteries for cannabis business to start serving adult consumers.
A total of 120 licenses, comprising 30 retailers, 30 cultivators, 30 producers and 5 labs for testing, will be awarded. In the past, regulators have also specified how much of each license category will be reserved for applicants who are socially responsible, small businesses, and those with general open licensing.
Regulators have also been rolling out a series of proposed regulations to stand up the forthcoming adult-use cannabis industry.
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Former Gov. John Carney (D) raised eyebrows in January after making a questionable claim that “nobody” wants cannabis shops in their neighborhoods, even if there’s consensus that criminalization doesn’t work.
The then-governor last year signed several additional marijuana bills into law, including measures that would allow existing medical cannabis businesses in the state to begin recreational sales on an expedited basis, transfer regulatory authority for the medical program and make technical changes to marijuana statutes.
The dual licensing legislation is meant to allow recreational sales to begin months earlier than planned, though critics say the legislation would give an unfair market advantage to larger, more dominant businesses already operating in multiple states.
In October, Carney also gave final approval to legislation to enact state-level protections for banks that provide services to licensed marijuana businesses.
Delaware’s medical marijuana program is also being significantly expanded under a law that officially took effect last July.
This policy shift removes restrictions on patient eligibility that are based upon a set of health conditions. In its place, doctors can recommend cannabis to treat any health condition.
New law allows those over 65 years old to self-certify medical marijuana access, without needing a prescription from a doctor.
A meeting of the Virginia Cannabis Commission next week will help shape recreational marijuana sales rules under the next governor
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