Mainebiz

V O L . X X V N O. I X A P R I L 2 9 , 2 0 1 9 30 T wenty-five years ago, Maine's marijuana proprietors were more likely to be named in a local police blotter than the pages of Mainebiz. But today, Patricia Rosi, CEO of Wellness Connection of Maine, proudly talks about her company's business in medical-use cannabis, which Maine legalized in 1999. "is is a booming industry," she says. Wellness Connection launched in 2010, one year after the Legislature cre- ated a system of licensed dispensaries to serve the medical cannabis market. Today, Wellness Connection operates four of the state's eight dispensaries, which in 2018 rang up sales totaling $23.5 million, according to state data. at's a 40% increase over 2014 sales, and triple the 2013 total. However, sales in 2018 were also down 13% from their peak of $26.6 mil- lion in 2016. e number of caregivers — licensed individuals who provide medical cannabis – has also shrunk to about 3,000, 9% less than the number in 2016. Not coincidentally, 2016 was also when a citizen's referendum allowed Maine adults to grow, own and use marijuana without demonstrating a medical need for it. Enthusiasm for the potential of pot seemed to reach a new high. Since then, efforts to implement rules governing the business of rec- reational-use marijuana have stalled. Due to legislative delays, a 2017 veto by then-Gov. Paul LePage, and in January, the state's decision to change consultants for developing the regula- tions, Maine has no legal market for recreational cannabis, more than two years after it became legal. at lack has also affected the medical market. With marijuana legal, customers have begun growing their own "medicine" or seeking it else- where, according to Rosi. Meanwhile, dispensaries and caregivers — some of whom hope to expand into the recre- ational business — are being forced to cut prices. And wait. "We're in a state of limbo," says Rosi. "is is the equivalent of saying 'let's legalize gasoline,' but not having any gas stations." David Boyer, Maine political director for the Marijuana Policy Project, shares that frustration. "We knew this would take a long time," he says, "but it's disappointing for Maine to be last among the states that passed laws in 2016." In addition to the Maine referendum, voters in California, Massachusetts and Nevada approved recreational marijuana Maine's marijuana dilemma 'Cannabiz' poised to grow, but in a holding pattern B y W i l l i a m H a l l 25 C A N N A B I S S O U R C E : Maine Department of Administrative and Financial Services MEDICAL MARIJUANA DISPENSARY SALES Patricia Rosi, CEO of Wellness Connection of Maine, operates four of the state's eight dispensaries. Last year state-licensed dispensaries had sales of $23.5 million. P H O T O / T I M G R E E N WAY 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 $23.5 million $24.5 million $26.6 million $23 million $15.8 million $7.8 million

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