An Iowa House subcommittee unanimously approved a measure on Tuesday that would double the number of medical marijuana dispensaries in the state. The bill needs to pass another committee before it reaches the House floor.
House Study Bill 684 proposes doubling the number of dispensary licenses to 10, and also capping the number of dispensaries a license holder could have.
State Rep. John Forbes (D) said that the accessibility of medical marijuana in Iowa is limited. "Patient access to medical cannabis here in the state of Iowa is a concern, especially in certain areas of the state. People have to drive two hours plus. Most people won't do that," Forbes said, writes ABC Kcrg.
Supporting the measure, Forbes further pointed out that regulators could do more, suggesting expanding the list of medical conditions that qualify patients for treatment with medical cannabis.
See Also: Iowa Lawmakers Risk Ruining Hemp Businesses With New Bill, Business Owner Explains Why
Tim Coonan, a lobbyist representing the Green Leaf Cannabis Company, which currently doesn't have a license but aims to obtain one, commented, "Our thought was that to open it up to more market players, it would be wise to limit the number of licenses being held by one entity to three since that's the max being held right now."
Jeff Boeyink, a lobbyist representing the Iowa Cannabis Company, which has a license, opposed the limit on the number of licenses to three. " We think that's arbitrary," Boeyink said. "I mean, we should be able to compete. If we make a business decision, we should be able to compete for any license that we want to."
Related Links:
Iowa Business Behind Push To Legalize Marijuana Flower Sales Accused Of Corrupting State MMJ Board
The Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference is returning to Florida, in a new venue in Hollywood, on April 16 and 17, 2024. The two-day event at The Diplomat Beach Resort will be a chance for entrepreneurs, both large and small, to network, learn and grow. Renowned for its trendsetting abilities and influence on the future of cannabis, mark your calendars – this conference is the go-to event of the year for the cannabis world. Get your tickets now on bzcannabis.com – Prices will increase very soon!
Photo: Courtesy of OpenRangeStock via Shutterstock
© 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
Comments
Trade confidently with insights and alerts from analyst ratings, free reports and breaking news that affects the stocks you care about.
Click on the image for more info.
Cannabis rescheduling seems to be right around the corner
Want to understand what this means for the future of the industry?
Hear directly for top executives, investors and policymakers at the Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference, coming to Chicago this Oct. 8-9.
Get your tickets now before prices surge by following this link.