More than two years after recreational adult-use marijuana became legal in Delaware, you will be able to buy some.
The state Office of Marijuana Commissioner announced that sales will begin Aug. 1 in converted medical marijuana dispensaries in Delaware, and there are dispensaries all over the state. You do not need a medical card, but you will need to be 21 or older.
It has been two years of back-and-forth between the state, industry leaders, county officials and local governments. The law legalizing marijuana gave local governments the option to ban the industry outright, and some have. Most of those towns are in Sussex County, but Middletown is an example of hesitation in New Castle County.
The state’s largest three municipalities of Wilmington, Dover and Newark have their zoning figured out for marijuana retail, restricting them to nonresidential parts of the respective cities.
Counties have widely varied restrictions on where marijuana retail can go. Kent County is the least restrictive, regulating it similarly to alcohol and tobacco retail. Sussex County has 3-mile buffers between potential stores and places like churches, schools and municipal borders, making it far and away the most restrictive in the state. New Castle County also has buffers, but they are much smaller.
A bill looking to override county restrictions on weed businesses, with an aim at Sussex County, passed the Legislature and sits on Gov. Matt Meyer’s desk. In the state’s announcement, Meyer said the opening is a powerful step forward for Delaware.
“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 state’s new marijuana commissioner, Josh Sanderlin, was sworn in earlier this year, tasked with getting the industry out of the mud. He leads the regulatory office that oversees and distributes licenses to business owners and is responsible for keeping the product safe for consumers.
In the announcement, he said the beginning of the sales is the result of “tireless efforts” of the agency and collaboration between state and local governments, industry leaders and community organizers.
“Our focus is on building a safe, equitable, and accountable marijuana market that delivers real benefits to Delawareans,” he said in his announcement. “We will continue to issue conditional licenses to previously selected applicants to ensure they can begin operations once active.”
Converted dispensaries are medical dispensaries that can now sell recreational weed. The price to convert is not cheap. Businesses must pay $200,000 for cultivation conversions and $100,000 for retail and manufacturing to convert. It raised $4 million for the state to fund “social equity” marijuana businesses, which will help businesses owned by people or operated in areas affected by disproportionate enforcement of War on Drugs policies in Delaware.
The industry still has ways to go, and the industry can exist only within the state. Recreational marijuana is federally illegal and cannot legally go over state lines. The industry must be home-grown, and 125 holders of cultivation, manufacturing, testing and retail licenses are still getting off the ground.
Shane Brennan covers Wilmington and other Delaware issues. Reach out with ideas, tips or feedback at slbrennan@delawareonline.com.