According to Erik Gundersen, director of the new Office of Marijuana Policy, the state of Maine is set to launch a legal recreational marijuana market this year.
A consultant is expected to submit a first draft of proposed adult-use marijuana rules to the state Office of Marijuana Policy this week.
“We are working incredibly hard to get this thing rolled out,” said Gundersen. “There are people in my office that are working, no lie, seven days a week to make sure we can get this adult-use industry rolled out in 2019.”
In order to launch this year, the Office of Marijuana Policy must shop its draft rules around to key state agencies. This includes agriculture, labor and public safety.
“To us, that’s the ball game. Anybody who is familiar with the speed at which state government works knows that is more or less impossible, but we have timelines … we are set to actually deliver on. That is our goal. There are many roadblocks, but we are doing our best.”
