Utah delays deadline to award medical cannabis licenses
(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Hemp plants growing under LED lights at Moon Lake Farms in North Salt Lake on Friday July 12, 2019. Troy Young, owner of Moon Lake Farms, is one of 81 people vying for a license to grow medical marijuana in Utah.
Salt Lake City • Applicants vying for a handful of licenses to grow Utah’s medical marijuana will have to wait longer than expected to find out who has been selected.
The Utah Department of Agriculture and Food announced Saturday that they are delaying the announcement of who will grow the state's medical marijuana to the end of the month. State officials had originally estimated a July 15 deadline for the decision.
Eighty-one farmers and entrepreneurs applied for the state's 10 grower licenses. Utah joined 33 states in legalizing marijuana after voters approved a law last year.
Whoever wins the coveted licenses will have to grow the cannabis in Utah. The state also will choose licensed processors to make medical marijuana products to be sold in dispensaries expected to open next year.
For over 150 years, The Salt Lake Tribune has been Utah’s independent news source. Our reporters work tirelessly to uncover the stories that matter most to Utahns, from unraveling the complexities of court rulings to allowing tax payers to see where and how their hard earned dollars are being spent. This critical work wouldn’t be possible without people like you—individuals who understand the importance of local, independent journalism. As a nonprofit newsroom, every subscription and every donation fuels our mission, supporting the in-depth reporting that shines a light on the is sues shaping Utah today.
You can help power this work.
Donate to the newsroom now. The Salt Lake Tribune, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) public charity and contributions are tax deductible