The Florida Office of Medical Marijuana Use (OMMU) will issue a total of 20 new medical marijuana establishment licenses during 2022.
To illustrate the significance of obtaining a cannabis license in Florida, we must define “medical marijuana treatment center”. Specifically, licensed medical marijuana treatment centers (MMTCs) are vertically integrated. This means they produce and sell products directly to customers and are restricted from conducting business to business transactions. Additionally, MMTCs are the only businesses in Florida who can dispense medical marijuana and low THC cannabis to qualified patients and caregivers.
One license will specifically be dedicated to a social equity applicant of African American descent. The license application fee will be $146,000 as opposed to a $60,000 fee for 2015 applicants. The OMMU will begin accepting applications for this medical marijuana license in March 2022.
Additionally, Florida will issue 19 Medical Marijuana Treatment Center licenses due to the increase in the states medical marijuana patient count. When applications for these licenses will open is currently unclear. However, the OMMU will announce the application requirements and submittal period in the Florida Administrative Register.
In order to operate, a business must undergo 3 state approvals.
To begin operation, each MMTC must receive authorization at three stages. The first stage is the cultivation authorization. The second stage is the processing authorization. The third and final stage is the dispensing authorization. All three stages are required prior to dispensing low THC cannabis or medical marijuana.
