MAINE, USA — Maine marijuana shops are reporting brisk business even though the state's rollout of legal marijuana sales has been muted compared with others because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Sales began in October as the pandemic was worsening in the state and around the country. State authorities report sales have exceeded $4 million and dozens of new businesses are in the pipeline.
Maine is now home to 15 marijuana stores, 16 cultivation facilities, and nine product manufacturing facilities that have active licenses. The state-approved the first six active licenses in September.
The report was released just days after the Maine Office of Marijuana Policy announced new state rules.
Most of the new regulations are for the medical marijuana industry. Experts say medical marijuana and adult-use marijuana will remain different industries but now the medical marijuana industry will have some of the same regulations as the adult-use industry.
"The law goes into place in 2018 and no rules were ever written for it," Jill Polster said. Polster is a compliance attorney at Cohen Maine Law and works with medical marijuana caregivers.
The law for medical marijuana was passed before there was even an Office of Marijuana Policy. Now, regulations that came after are being put in place.
Dozens more licenses are in various places along the pipeline.
