Delaware’s adult-use marijuana market will officially launch on August 1, regulators announced on Tuesday.
About two years after the state enacted legalization, the first recreational cannabis sales are set to begin, with all medical marijuana conversion licensees approved to sell their products to adult consumers 21 and older.
“The start of legal adult-use marijuana sales reflects the tireless efforts of our regulatory team and our strong partnerships with state agencies, industry stakeholders, and community leaders,” Marijuana Commissioner Joshua Sanderlin said in a press release.
“Our focus is on building a safe, equitable, and accountable marijuana market that delivers real benefits to Delawareans,” he said, adding that the Office of the Marijuana Commissioner (OCM) “will continue to issue conditional licenses to previously selected applicants to ensure they can begin operations once active.”
Gov. Matt Meyer (D) celebrated the development, saying “Delaware has taken a major step forward by launching a legal adult-use cannabis market that prioritizes equity, safety, and accountability.”
“This new industry will generate critical revenue to strengthen our schools, infrastructure, and public health systems, while creating real opportunities for entrepreneurs,” he said. “This revenue also gives us a powerful tool to invest in the communities most impacted by the war on drugs, addressing past wrongs and ensuring that the benefits of this new market reach every corner of our state.”
“I’m proud we’re moving quickly and thoughtfully to build a cannabis market that reflects our values and expands opportunity for every Delawarean,” the governor said.
OMC initially projected that recreational sales would start by March, but complications related to securing an FBI fingerprint background check service code delayed the implementation. Lawmakers passed a bill in April to resolve the issue, and the FBI subsequently issued the code that the stat’s marijuana law requires.
Late last year, OMC held a series of licensing lotteries for cannabis business to start serving adult consumers.
A total of 125 licenses will ultimately be issued, including 30 retailers, 60 cultivators, 30 manufacturers and five testing labs. Last year, regulators also detailed what portion of each category is reserved for social equity applicants, microbusinesses and general open licenses.
Regulators have also been rolling out a series of proposed regulations to stand up the forthcoming adult-use cannabis industry.
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Meanwhile, 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.
The policy change removes limitations for patient eligibility based on a specific set of qualifying health conditions. Instead, doctors will be able to issue cannabis recommendations for any condition they see fit.
The new law also allows patients over the age of 65 to self-certify for medical cannabis access without the need for a doctor’s recommendation.
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