Maryland Cannabis Administration’s Social Equity License Lottery

84% of successful applicants for social equity licenses in Maryland identified as minority- and women-owned businesses

The Maryland Cannabis Administration (MCA) recently concluded a lottery to distribute 174 social equity cannabis licenses, out of a maximum of 179 available slots.

Lottery Details

• Application Pool: Over 1,500 eligible applications were considered across more than 40 unique lottery pools.
• Total Applications: The MCA received a total of 1,700 applications.
• Transparency: The lottery drawing was livestreamed on the MCA’s website, cannabis.maryland.gov. Selected application numbers were announced during the draws, with the list of selected numbers posted afterward.

Eligibility Criteria

To qualify for the lottery, applicants had to verify their social equity status, defined by the MCA as ownership and control of at least 65% by individuals meeting specific residency or education criteria in disproportionately impacted areas.

Application Breakdown

Dispensaries: 874 applications (standard and micro)

Growers: 449 applications (standard and micro)

Processors: 192 applications (standard and micro)

Regional Distribution

The largest number of eligible applicants came from:

• Montgomery County (89)
• Prince George’s County (87)
• Baltimore County (78)
• Baltimore City (64)
• Anne Arundel County (64)

Demographic Insights

Out of 1,270 passing applications, 84% self-reported as minority- and women-owned businesses:

• African American or Black-owned: 753 applications
• Asian-owned: 248 applications
• Hispanic or Latino-owned: 43 applications

Maryland Cannabis Market

Maryland voters approved marijuana legalization during the 2022 general election, with laws effective since July 1 of that year.

• Total Sales: Sales have reached $754 million as of February 2024.
• Year-to-Date: Sales for 2024 are already at $177 million.

To conclude, The Maryland Cannabis Administration awarded 174 social equity cannabis licenses through a lottery process out of a possible 179 slots. Over 1,500 applications were received, with 1,700 in total. The lottery was conducted transparently, with numbers announced during live streams on the MCA website. Applicants had to verify their social equity status, with 84% of passing applications being minority- and women-owned businesses. The Maryland cannabis market has seen significant growth since legalization, with total sales reaching $754 million as of February 2024.