Maine nixes residency requirement for marijuana licenses
The state said Monday it will stop enforcing a requirement that individuals licensed to do marijuana business in Maine must also be residents.
The announcement by the Maine Office of Marijuana Policy came in response to a pending lawsuit, which alleged the requirement violates the U.S. Constitution by explicitly favoring Maine residents over nonresidents.
Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey advised the office that the requirement was unlikely to withstand the legal challenge, the OMP said in a news release.
The 2016 citizens initiative that legalized recreational use of marijuana included a licensing preference for existing medical marijuana program registrants — all of whom are required to be state residents. The state Legislature later replaced that mandate with one requiring registrants to be a resident income taxpayer for four years.
The OMP also said it will introduce legislation to remove the relevant language from state law.
“Regardless of today’s announcement, OMP will continue to work diligently to fulfill its obligations to the industry and public,” Director Erik Gundersen said in the release.
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So now another business can be monopolized by out of state carpetbaggers with lots of bucks. If we are lucky they might give a Mainer a job!!
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