Per Arizona Revised Statutes (A.R.S.) § 36-2804, the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) may not issue more than one nonprofit medical marijuana dispensary registration certificate for every 10 pharmacies registered in the state of Arizona. However, the ADHS may issue nonprofit medical marijuana dispensary registration certificates in excess of this limit if necessary to ensure there is at least one dispensary in each county where an application has been approved.
Applications for nonprofit medical cannabis dispensary certificates will be accepted beginning December 16, 2022 through December 30, 2022 in the ADHS Licensing Management System Facility Licensing Portal. An applicant, as well as anyone who is a principal officer or board member, must have a valid marijuana facility agent license to apply.
“It is great to see that the ADHS is helping Arizonans statewide get access to medical marijuana, however, it is unfortunate that only current marijuana facility agents will be eligible to apply for the new business opportunity of owning a marijuana dispensary,” stated AZmarijuana.com.
In Arizona, there are currently:
- 1,340 open pharmacies, and
- 131 active nonprofit medical marijuana dispensary registration certificates.
Below is a list of counties that do not currently have a nonprofit medical marijuana dispensary registration certificate:
- Apache
- Cochise
- Gila
- Graham
- Greenlee
- Santa Cruz
Arizona legalized cannabis for medical use in 2010 and for recreational use in 2020. It is legal for Arizona medical marijuana patients and anyone 21 or older to buy cannabis products from Arizona dispensaries.