Delaware's marijuana commissioner says his office now allows cannabis license holders to apply to transfer permits between the state's three counties – a move that would allow businesses to move away from heavily regulated localities, such as Sussex County.
In an interview with Spotlight Delaware on Monday, Marijuana Commissioner Joshua Sanderlin said his decision to open licenses to all counties overturned a regulation set by his predecessor. It also came after municipalities and the Sussex County government imposed a raft of regulations last year that collectively limited marijuana retail shops to just a few far-flung parts of the county.
In response, state lawmakers sought to limit counties' ability to regulate marijuana businesses with the passage of Senate Bill 75 in June. But last month, Gov. Matt Meyer vetoed the bill, stating that it displaces "local land use authority without offering any corresponding partnership or support."
Sanderlin said his decision to allow license transfers between counties was not in response to Meyer's veto. He said his office had decided to change this rule after receiving requests from licensees to change the county in which they operate. As a former marijuana executive himself, he said he understands how difficult it is to start a business in the industry, "whether SB 75 was in place or not."
Read more at Spotlight Delaware
