A recreational marijuana draft bill crafted by Maine lawmakers would permit the state’s eight licensed medical marijuana dispensaries to apply for a license to sell adult-use cannabis, but they couldn’t sell medical and recreational products at the same counter.
Rather, Maine would require retailers that sell both medical and adult-use cannabis to have separate entrances for medical patients and recreational consumers, as is done in Colorado, the Portland Press Herald reported.
According to the newspaper, business-friendly highlights of the 70-page draft bill include:
- MMJ dispensaries could convert from not-for-profit entities to for-profits.
- Internet cannabis sales and deliveries would be permitted.
- Drive-thru marijuana sales would be allowed, if they’re not banned by local communities.
- Cannabis social clubs would be permitted – but not until June 2019.
Cultivation, manufacturing, testing, packaging and labeling would be regulated by the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, the Press Herald reported.
The draft bill – which gets its first public hearing Sept. 26 – also would mandates a 20% tax rate for recreational marijuana, according to the newspaper.
credit:mjbizdaily.com