Rise Silver Spring's storefront on Fenton Street is among the first cannabis dispensaries set to open in Maryland, nearly five years after state lawmakers legalized marijuana for medical use.
Within the next week, Rise is scheduled to begin selling a variety of cannabis products, such as flowers, patches and oils. Four of the state’s other eight dispensaries—including Potomac Holistics in Rockville—say they expect to have medical marijuana delivered and available for sale by Friday, marking the official launch in Maryland of an industry that is worth billions nationwide. Two said they expect to receive their initial batch of marijuana from Curio Wellness in Baltimore County, which did not return messages seeking comment.
In all, 14 growers, 12 processors and nine dispensaries have been licensed by the Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission. About 15,000 people have signed up in the hope of becoming patients, with 8,500 already certified to buy medical cannabis, according to the commission. Nearly 550 healthcare providers have registered with the state to recommend the drug to their patients.
Legal conflicts and bureaucratic hiccups slowed the launch of the industry in Maryland. The commission was overwhelmed by a slew of applications from interested marijuana businesses, delaying the first batch of license awards by more than six months. Since then, regulators have fended off complaints from businesses and lawmakers who said the process of choosing marijuana companies was unfair.
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