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Sunday, August 21, 2016

BREAKING NEWS, WICOMICO COUNTY NOT SELECTED: Natalie M. LaPrade Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission Announces Grower and Processor License Pre-Approvals

Baltimore, MD (August 15, 2016) -The Natalie M. LaPrade Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission (“MMCC”) today announced the names of the 15 Growers and 15 Processors who have been awarded Stage One license pre-approvals. The Commission’s actions mark a giant step forward for the medical cannabis program in Maryland.
Dr. Paul W. Davies, Chairman of the Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission stated, “I’m excited that we have a great number of outstanding companies willing to help sick people in Maryland.” The potential licensees comprise a diverse group of principals, executives and corporate officers including Maryland residents associated with long-time established Maryland businesses, entrepreneurs, women and minority-operated enterprises. Seven of the Processors are affiliated with Growers who received Stage One pre-approvals.
The Commissioners’ selections for Grower entities and locations are:
Curio Cultivation LLC
Baltimore County
Doctors Orders Maryland LLC
Dorchester County
Forward Gro LLC
Anne Arundel County
Freestate Wellness LLC
Howard County
Green Leaf Medical LLC
Frederick County
Grow West MD LLC
Garrett County
Harvest of Maryland LLC
Washington County
HMS Health LLC
Frederick County
Holistic Industries LLC
Prince George’s County
Kind Therapeutics USA LLC
Washington County
Maryland Compassionate Care
and Wellness LLC
Carroll County
MaryMed LLC
Dorchester County
Shore Natural Rx LLC
Worcester County
SunMed Growers LLC
Cecil County
Temescal Wellness of MD LLC
Baltimore City

 The Processor entities and locations are:

AFS Maryland LLC
Wicomico County
Blair Wellness Center LLC
Worcester County
Chesapeake Alternatives LLC
Queen Anne’s County
Curio Manufacturing LLC
Baltimore County
Doctors Orders Maryland LLC
Dorchester County
FGM Processing LLC
Charles County
Holistic Industries LLC
Prince George’s County
Kind Therapeutics USA LLC
Washington County
Maryland Compassionate Care and Wellness LLC
Carroll County
MaryMed LLC
Dorchester County
Pharmaculture Corporation
Allegany County
Pro Green Medical LLC
Frederick County
Rosebud Organics LLC
Montgomery County
Seven Points
Agro-Therapeutics LLC
Prince George’s County
Temescal Wellness of MD
Baltimore City

 The locations of the Growers and Processors span 16 counties and Baltimore City (see map), including Allegany, Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll, Cecil, Charles, Dorchester, Frederick, Garrett, Howard, Montgomery, Prince George’s, Queen Anne’s, Washington, Wicomico and Worcester. Many Grower applicants who were highly qualified were not pre-approved due to statutory limitations on the number of growers.
The Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission’s Executive Director, Patrick Jameson stated, “Now that the Commissioners have made their selections, the real work begins for these companies. We will implement a rigorous Stage Two background and financial due diligence process for these entities prior to issuing a license.  A pre-approval is not a license. I truly look forward to facilitating this nascent state wide industry and working with local, city, and county jurisdictions and with the principals of these organizations.” The Commissioners will vote for licensure once compliance with the regulatory requirements is complete.
The Growers will cultivate a variety of strains ranging in cannabinoid content from a low to high spectrum of Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and Cannabidiol (CBD), and the Processors will be manufacturing a wide variety of cannabis-infused products containing high and low CBD and THC extracts and in a variety of modes of administration. These pharmaceutical grade products will include oral forms such as oils, pills, capsules, tinctures; sublingual sprays; inhaled products and topical forms such as ointments, salves, and transdermal patches.
MMCC also commissioned the Towson University, Regional Economic Studies Institute “RESI” to coordinate the review of the Dispensary Applications by subject matter experts and to utilize the same process as for the Grower and Processor applications such as compiling the scores and application rankings. The Commissioners will review and vote on the Dispensaries (two per Senatorial district and potentially 15 additional for Growers who wish to be vertically integrated) with medicine tentatively becoming available by the summer of 2017.
Dr. Davies continued, “While we are aware there is a public interest in the rankings of the Grower and Processor applications, the rankings were merely used as an organizational tool.  The Commission will list the entities in alphabetical order. All of the chosen business entities have an equal opportunity to complete the licensing process.  At this stage, I am very happy with the Commissioners' choices."
Maryland received 145 grower applications, 124 processor applications and 811 dispensary license applications. Again, MMCC commissioned RESI to contract with third-party subject matter experts from around the United States to evaluate the applications using a double-blinded process. RESI assigned unique identifying numbers to each application prior to evaluation and review by subject matter experts and Commissioners. Application content comprised text and supporting documents redacted of all identifying information such as individual or entity applicant names and locations.  Once evaluated and scored by the subject matter experts, RESI compiled the scores and ranked the applications. The scored and ranked redacted Grower and Processor applications were then provided to Commissioners for review and final selection.
 The 15 Grower and Processor potential licensees will continue on to Stage Two of the approval process, which will include extensive financial due diligence and background investigations by the MMCC of all those named in the original application and any other principals. Each entity that was issued a pre-approval will have 365 days from date of notification to complete all necessary steps to obtain a formal license and to request final inspection by the Commission. These steps include completing regulatory requirements, raising capital, acquiring real estate, securing local zoning approvals, construction of facilities, installation of equipment, and the hiring and training of staff.
All applicants, including those who did not receive pre-approvals, were notified as to the status of their application by email and U.S. mail today.
The Natalie M. LaPrade Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission develops policies, procedures and regulations to implement programs that ensure medical cannabis is available to qualifying patients in a safe and effective manner. The Commission oversees all licensing, registration, inspection and testing measures pertaining to Maryland’s medical cannabis program and provides relevant program information to patients, physicians, growers, dispensers, processors, testing laboratories, caregivers and the general public.

37 comments:

Anonymous said...

who are the principals of AFS Maryland LLC? What does "processor" mean?

Anonymous said...

Paperwork, been processing my own since early seventies. Not for hire (profit)

Anonymous said...

How do you apply for a job there? I hear the hours are 8- 4:20

Anonymous said...

I don't think the former mayor of Ocean City has any credentials for representing anyone either other than being on the payroll of that disaster cleanup company nearly as long as Mathias has been on earth.

Anonymous said...

Maybe they realized Wicomico county doesn't need any more crime!

Anonymous said...

Huge loss for Wicomico Co.

Anonymous said...

AFS Maryland LLC - is a company owned in Scottsdale, AZ

Their Maryland offices are located in the same office as this lobbyist;
Gerard E. Evans, Ltd. 191 Main Street Suite 210. Annapolis, MD 21401

Conveniently there are no legible names on the business paperwork registered with the state.

Anonymous said...

Joe, I am confused, is the company going to be able to grow Pot in Hebron, Wicomico County or not.
Too much for my Senior brain to figure out. Thanks for the clarifacation.

JoeAlbero said...

6:26, No. There are growers everywhere else except for Wicomico County. I believe the other list provides places for the sale of the product. The main interest in Wicomico County was for growers. They failed to get accepted.

In fact, GET THIS, the former Chief of Police in Delmar, (Hal Saylor) applied to be the main security officer for the company wanting to grow product in Wicomico County. GO FIGURE!

Anonymous said...

AFS was awarded a license as a processor. The processor receives the product from the growler and prepares it for sale it is then shipped to distribution locations which have have yet to be named

Anonymous said...

Many local "grower" applicants thought they had it in the bag. Matt Holloway

Anonymous said...

Oh, there are growers in Wicomico County.

Anonymous said...

Too bad for Wicomico and Somerset. Those would have been some nice taxes and jobs for the growing. Still, processing in Wicomico will be a good thing - think pharmaceutical industry employment.

Anonymous said...

should be allowed to grow your own. once again the state is making millionaires and i'm betting most if not all are connected in some way shape or form politically.
Total BS!

Anonymous said...

LOL.....let one of the trucks loaded with weed coming to Hebron for processing be in a accident or overturn.......we'll be all over it worse than a chicken truck turning over with store ready product in it!!!!! Ha Ha Ha

Anonymous said...

What sort of crime were you expecting, 5:59?

Anonymous said...

8:40 - almost as funny as you falling off your barstool.

Anonymous said...

Good don't want them here

Anonymous said...

Some free weed in Hebron might calm the pill heads and heroin addicts down for a few hours.

Anonymous said...

These firms and the people who own them are a disgrace. I'm sure there are TERMINALLY ill people that it will benefit but most of the customers will be your typical stoners. Watch how many young people on the shore suddenly develop back problems to obtain a script.

Anonymous said...

How did Dorchester manage to get two of each? Are the evaluations public, i.e. can the applicant see what the could have done better. Doesn't the Worcester site have a Mathias connection. Do we smell politics?

Anonymous said...

Great news

Anonymous said...

8:21 Exactly. Also I would venture to say that most of these growers are the equivalent of the solar panel crowd....they could never make it in the private sector and are pretty lazy work wise. If you get a prescription from a doctor you should be able to grow your own.

Anonymous said...

AFS Maryland LLC - Wicomico County

Looks to me that Wicomico County got a piece of the pie.

Anonymous said...

Poor Matt Holloway. He was hoping to grow some pot so he wouldn't have to work for extra money on the County Council. Hell, he can still leave if he wants. I was hoping he would get it so he would leave the county council. We don't need all those RINO's as it is.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
should be allowed to grow your own. once again the state is making millionaires and i'm betting most if not all are connected in some way shape or form politically.
Total BS!
August 15, 2016 at 8:21 PM

But Matt Holloway isn't? You don't remember him being connected to Rick Pollitt? LMAO. Remember he was at Rick's $500 per plate fundraiser instead of any of Bob Culvers? Remember he, John Hall and John Cannon were both there also.

Anonymous said...

Maybe Addie Eckhart helped Dorchester get 2 growers and 2 processors?

Anonymous said...

Once again the nanny state of Maryland takes control of this first ever state-run pot Mafia! it is not based on the collective farmers of the California,nor the open bussiness models of Colorado or Oregon. Will be interesting to see how dictoral Maryland controls this, especially home cultivation for people that are medically qualified! Guess we won't find out whats in the law until it's passed? because they keep us simple types in the dark about this kind of stuff I'd like to get in on this green Rush & Open up a shop

Anonymous said...

The whole thing is a joke. A scam. There has been medical marijuana in pill form for a long time. But that isn't what the stoners want. The majority of "patients" will have anxiety or some other BS affliction. I say just legalize weed or not. This "medical marijuana" crap is so disingenuous it makes me have anxiety. Just not enough so that I have to do bong hits prescribed by a doctor.

Anonymous said...

I hear the argument all the time (from stoners) that alcohol is much worse than weed. Maybe so. As a business owner in the construction and related trades for over 30 years I would much rather have drinkers working for me over stoners any day. Drinkers will generally bide their time until they get off work to go get blasted all night. Stoners, on the other hand, burn that stupid shit all day. I have had to make special rules for my younger pot head employees that they couldn't leave the job site from start to finish of the work day because they would smoke dope the entire lunch break. I have even followed my stoner employees into the port a potty to catch them smoking weed.

Anonymous said...

Medical Cannabis is good for people who have glaucoma and it's been proven. Also, it is good for some types of cancer. As a matter of fact, it is probably better than some prescription drugs people are on.

Anonymous said...

Bunch out by Hebron stupidly invested a whole lot of dinero before even getting a license. When I heard that I thought the fix was on. Glad they got bitch slapped. The Somerset County proposal got screwed and how did Dorchester get 2 of each?

Anonymous said...

You lie like a rug 9:06. Ill put a stoner up any day against a drinker. Stoners are more productive less, hangovers, and functional

Anonymous said...

11:15 AM No, the Hebron bunch didn't get bi$ch slapped, the residents of Wicomico County got bi$ch slapped according to Hogan when Culver told him he didn't want any licenses in HIS county. Go figure. Culver and Hogan just screwed us out of many jobs and screwed those in need for medical purposes the opportunity to get some relief. Both are toast.

Anonymous said...

12:37, when you're done eating that bag of Doritos take a nap.

Anonymous said...

As usual you mouth breathing chicken dust snorting Wicomicans are so backwards it is almost comical. That is why you need free tuition here for you inbred bastards. We do not want to infringe on all that pot grown on the East Side do we. Funny Mike Lewis can see a weed seed from a helicopter yet he can not see the hundreds of plants grown on a farm every year in Willards. Things that make you hmmmmmm ????

Anonymous said...

Good thing there are great employees that don't need either marijuana or alcoholic beverages to make it through a working day.