Dispensaries

A dispensary is a registered and licensed facility that is authorized to sell medical marijuana as well as manufacture, purchase, possess, and distribute paraphernalia to registered qualifying patients and caregivers. The law provides that the number of dispensaries registered to operate in the DC shall not exceed five, and that dispensaries shall not be located within 300 feet of pre-school, primary or secondary schools, or recreation centers. The facility must be operational within 120 days of the license-issued date.

Visiting a Dispensary

Only registered qualifying patients and/or their designated primary caregivers are allowed to visit dispensaries to obtain medical marijuana. However, the law prescribes that they can only purchase medical marijuana from the dispensary designated on the registration identification card.

Starting a Dispensary

To start a dispensary, an applicant must be at least 21 years old, have not been convicted of a misdemeanor for drug related offense, and not be a licensed physician issuing/making patients’ recommendations. Applicants must provide a Letter of Intent together with a plan regarding the facility’s general operations, a completed registration application, and an application fee of $10,000, 50% of which is non-refundable. The application shall be evaluated by a five-member panel based on the set criteria as follows:

• Suitability of the proposed facility
• Proposed staffing plan and knowledge of District and Federal law on marijuana
• Security plan
• Inventory plan
• Product safety and labeling plan
• Applicant’s business plan, marketing plan, and services to be offered
• Educational materials plan
• Advisory Neighborhood Commission Comments