Hawaii has selected its first eight applicants to open medical marijuana dispensaries around the state, but unfortunately Woody Harrelson wasn’t one of them.
Back in January 60 Hawaii residents applied to be one of the first to open a dispensary in the state. A four-member panel reviewed nearly 66 applications, based on criteria that included companies’ proof of financial stability, ability to comply with security requirements and to meet patient needs.
The panel maintains they will not discuss their selection process, but the health department says it expects to release the scores for each applicant in the next two weeks.
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A spokesperson for Harrelson, Ina Treciokas, said there would be no comment surrounding the selection announcement.
For those applicants who won a spot, the requirements to open include: a $75,000 licensing fee to the Department of Health within seven days of written notice of their selection, $1 million cast, plus $100,000 for each dispensary location. Dispensaries can open as soon as July 15 and the Hawaii Department of Health must inspect the facilities before they can open their doors.
Hawaii became the first state to legalize medical marijuana 16 years ago. Under a law passed in 2015, the state can grant eight licenses. Each business can have two production centres and two retail dispensaries, for a total of 16 dispensaries statewide.
Six are allowed on Oahu, four on Hawaii Island, four on Maui and two on Kauai.
Find out more about Woody Harrleson’s history with marijuana below, as well as four other celebs who are fans of the green.
