Florida is finally awarding 22 highly sought-after medical marijuana licenses nearly 18 months after the applications were submitted and reviewed by state authorities.
The state's medical marijuana industry is tightly regulated and only those with a license can cultivate, process, and sell medical marijuana. The state announced its decision to award the 22 additional licenses Tuesday after 5 p.m., on the eve of the state being closed in advance of Thanksgiving.
Once the decision is final it will bring to 47 the number of medical marijuana licenses in the state. But Tuesday's decision can be and will be appealed, say those involved in the industry. Rejected vendors have 21 days from Nov. 26 to notify the state in writing of their intent to appeal.
"Pretty much anybody who received a denial of license letter is pretty much going to appeal the license. It's going to hold up the licensing process significantly, because more likely than not the licenses will not be issued until that litigation process is over, and that litigation process might take six months to a year, probably on the longer side," said Paula Savchenko, attorney and cannabis industry consultant. "And we may see a legislative fix but, obviously, nothing is guaranteed."
Read more at Florida Phoenix