Maine’s Office of Cannabis Policy recently sent a letter to stakeholders informing them that the elimination of residency requirements will also apply to medical marijuana caregivers. Earlier this year the First Circuit Court of Appeals found that the state’s restriction to limit cannabis dispensary licenses to only Maine residents was unconstitutional. In the letter, the agency’s Interim Director Vern Malloch explained that their office has complied with the court’s order.
The letter goes on to say that the Office of Cannabis Policy has determined to end the residency requirements for caregivers as well. While the decision from the First Circuit applied to dispensaries the Office of Cannabis Policy says that after a careful review of the court’s order the constitutionality of residency requirements also apply to registered caregivers. Despite originally defending the residency requirements the agency now concedes that the removal of these restrictions will not hurt the program’s overall ability to serve medical marijuana to qualifying patients.
Find the full story from Cannabis Business Times on their website here: https://www.cannabisbusinesstimes.com/article/maine-regulators-to-cease-enforcement-of-residency-requirements-for-cannabis-dispensaries-caregivers/