With the Department of Consumer Protection closing the product packagers lottery application window this week, the lotteries are set and ready to be drawn for all but one cannabis business type.
The window for product packager applications, for businesses that plan to package cannabis and ensure products are labeled and packaged in compliance with laws and regulations, closed earlier this week after 350 entries were submitted. Eighty three of those were sent in by social equity applicants.
Cannabis transporter licenses, for businesses that want to deliver cannabis and cannabis products between different business establishments, is the last type to close next week on June 22. So far, 62 social equity and 104 general applicants have submitted paperwork to become transporters.
Last week following an executive session, the Social Equity Council approved its process for evaluating social equity applicants following a third party lottery selection process, opening up the possibility they’ll begin getting lottery picks by their next meeting in July, said SEC Chair Andrea Comer.
Comer said disproportionately impacted area cultivator license recommendations will be presented to the council for a vote next month; during that meeting other provisional licenses might be doled out, too.
“Some of the applications that have been submitted as part of the lottery will be reviewed in tandem, so other license types may come for a vote in July as well,” Comer said.
According to minutes from a March 17 policy committee meeting, the SEC picked accounting firm CohnReznick to review and verify social equity applicants before the SEC issues provisional licensing.
The state has been updating lottery license application submission numbers weekly, and the total for the other types are as follows:
– Retailer: 8,360 social equity, 7,246 general
– Micro-cultivator: 5,528 social equity, 2,936 general
– Delivery service: 944 social equity, 262 general
– Hybrid retailer: 6,921 social equity, 1,296 general
– Food and beverage manufacturer: 1,019 social equity, 952 general
– Product manufacturer: 436 social equity, 425 general
Officials from the state Department of Consumer Protection said the plan is to have another lottery round this summer.
