The Iowa Department of Public Health has received a total of 21 applications from seven companies that are competing for five licenses to distribute medical marijuana.
Most of them want to distribute from Davenport, Sioux City, Council Bluffs or Des Moines, but other cities on the list include Waterloo, Cedar Rapids and Iowa City. Sarah Reisette, at the Iowa Department of Public Health, says the turnout is lackluster.
“The number is lower than how many people indicated they were interested in applying for a license,” Reisetter says. “We had 71 locations signaled earlier, and then we ended up with 21 applications, so, significantly less than we thought.” The application window closed last week and Reisetter says it’s now up to the state health department to review the plans.
Reisetter says, “We have asked them to explain in narrative format what their business overview and plan looks like, how they’re going to operate their dispensary, how they plan to secure their facility.” Advocates had worried the state’s low potency rules might keep companies away. The department plans to hand out the licenses by April. Distribution to Iowans with approved medical conditions should start by December.
(Thanks to Kate Payne, Iowa Public Radio)