Medical Marijuana In Maine
Implementation
129th Bills Proposed
Task Force
U.S. Dept. of Justice
Federal legislation
Maine has allowed prescribing, and limited possession, of medical marijuana since 1999 but the law lacked any distribution mechanism and questions arose of noncompliance with federal law and of how patients could legally obtain the prescribed marijuana. On November 3, 2009 Maine voters approved Question 5, which enacted the citizen-initiated bill, "An act to establish the Maine Medical Marijuana Act" (LD 975, IB 2). The committee file for LD 975 contains additional information, such as the activity schedule, testimony sign-in sheet, testimony submitted at the public hearing, working papers and memoranda of the Joint Standing Committee on Health and Human Services, and the committee vote tally sheet. (The contents of the file are not word searchable.)
Maine was the fifth state to provide for dispensaries of medical grade marijuana for persons with debilitating and chronic medical conditions. These not-for-profit dispensaries will be licensed and regulated by the Maine Department of Health and Human Services.
Following the November 2009 election, results were verified by the Secretary of State. Governor Baldacci's press release of November 6, 2009 detailed an executive order which set up a task force chaired by Brenda Harvey, Commissioner of DHHS. On November 17, 2009, the Governor announced the names of the members of the task force. The Task Force issued its report to the Governor on January 27, 2010. The subsequent 2010 enactment of LD 1811, the Governor's bill, paved the way for promulgation of agency rules under the Administrative Procedures Act. Emergency rules were adopted on May 5, 2010 . Only eight dispensaries (one for each of the eight districts) were approved for the first year. Instructions and applications, as well as the text of the rules, are available on DHHS' Division of Licensing and Regulatory Services webpage.
In November, 2017, a new rule was adopted that "implements changes enacted by the 126th and 127th Legislature, removes language that duplicates statutes, corrects grammatical errors, outdated language and inconsistencies, and provides clarification regarding the Department’s policies and practices specific to regulating the cultivation, dispensing and possession of marijuana for medical use." This new rule went into effect 2/1/2018 and can be viewed on the Secretary of State's website.
On June 14, 2018, the Maine Supreme Judicial Court, in the case Gaetan H. Bougoin v. Twin Rivers Paper Company, LLC et al., ruled that employers need not cover the cost of medical marijuana in workers' compensation cases.
On July 7, 2018, the Legislature overrode vetoes of two bills that significantly amend the medical marijuana laws in Maine. 128th LDs 238 and 1539 became law as P.L. 2017, ch. 447 and 452, respectively.
In addition, P.L. 2017, ch. 409, relating to adult use marijuana, transferred the Maine Medical Use of Marijuana Program to the Department of Administrative and Financial Services, Bureau of Business Management.
For more recent developments see news article links below.
Please also see our compiled legislative history on medical marijuana and our webpage on recreational marijuana law in Maine.
ARTICLES
Maine backing down on some of its restrictions for medical marijuana sales - 1/17/2022
Maine places new limits on medical marijuana providers - 11/4/2022
Court: Maine marijuana dispensary owners don't need to be residents - 8/18/2022
Maine's marijuana industry booming no thanks to banks - 6/26/2022
Maine clarifies marijuana rules to help medical users - 5/17/2022
Maine's medical marijuana market escapes closer oversight under new law - 4/28/2022
Maine's 2 marijuana programs are unevenly regulated despite selling similar products - 4/25/2022
Maine argues for its right to discriminate against out-of-state medical cannabis dispensaries - 4/7/2022
Maine scraps plan to beef up medical marijuana rules after industry objects - 3/2/2022
Medical cannabis sellers say scaled-back overhaul of rules still would go too far - 2/2/2022
Court finds Maine marijuana growers can be prosecuted despite congressional limits - 1/27/2022
Industry group recommends new medical cannabis rules for Maine - 1/24/2022
Maine officials acknowledge lax oversight of medical marijuana - 11/10/2021
Farmington bust reignites debate for tighter rules in Maine medical cannabis program - 11/9/2021
State regulators seeking members for medical marijuana workgroup - 8/23/21
Judge rules Maine can’t bar out-of-state firms from selling medical cannabis - 8/12/2021
Maine medical cannabis groups join forces to create lobbying council - 8/10/2021
Federal judge hears arguments over Maine's residency requirement for medical cannabis sellers - 7/16/2021
Bill to overhaul medical marijuana rule-making becomes law - 7/1/2021
Bills to halt changes to medical marijuana program advance in Legislature - 6/17/2021
Maine medical marijuana growers divided on legislation that would pause new rules - 4/23/2021
Medical cannabis sellers make their case in appeal to restore ban on out-of-state providers - 4/8/2021
Maine lawmakers seek to pre-empt proposed rules for medical cannabis - 3/25/2021
Medical cannabis providers, customers testify against Maine's proposed new industry rules - 3/22/2021
Maine to hold hearing on medical marijuana rules - 3/21/2021
Proposed bill would allow medical marijuana cooperatives in Maine - 3/1/2021
Numerous marijuana-related bills expected in next legislative session - 1/10/2021
Draft changes to state's medical cannabis program would require track-and-trace system - 1/5/2021
Maine's largest cannabis company sues to open state's medical marijuana market to outsiders - 12/21/2020
Marijuana has grown to become Maine's most valuable crop - 12/8/2020
State plan to 'harmonize' marijuana programs would wreak havoc, critics say - 2/26/2020
State's plan for special cannabis crimes unit sparks outrage - 2/26/2020
State's medical marijuana market much bigger than anyone realized - 2/24/2020
Efforts to improve banking access for cannabis growers take a big hit - 12/20/2019
Maine medical marijuana providers report e-cigarette sales bump after Massachusetts ban - 11/2/2019
Confusion reigns as Maine rolls out its marijuana tracking system - 9/16/2019
Marijuana dispensary says it would be stifled by proposal requiring majority Maine ownership - 6/10/2019
One thing Maine's legal pot industry can't bank on: support of financial institutions - 5/13/2019
Legal pot hearing expected to draw huge crowd in Maine - 5/13/2019
Marijuana safety rules could be coming this year - 5/1/2019
New contract appeal may further delay Maine's rollout of marijuana sales - 3/6/2019
Maine's effort to track legal pot suffers another setback - 3/1/2019
Maine just signed a deal for a 'seed-to-sale' marijuana tracking system - 2/19/2019
Bill would let Maine stores resume sales of CBD edibles - 2/19/2019
Hemp supporters rally in Augusta after state directs retailers to pull CBD edibles off shelves - 2/5/2019
State orders stores to remove edibles with CBD from their shelves - 2/1/2018
New law opens new possibilities for Maine medical marjiuana providers - 12/20/2018
Changes to Maine's Medical Marijuana rules take effect - 12/13/2018
Two more added to Maine cannabis advisory commission - 12/5/2018
For Maine's marijuana industry, security's still high-risk - 8/19/2018
Lawmakers endorse sweeping medical marijuana reforms - 7/10/2018
Gov. LePage vetoes bill that would ease access to medical marijuana, listing 11 objections - 7/6/2018
Major overhaul to medical marijuana program might open the door for more patients - 6/28/2018
Maine House and Senate approve sweeping reform of medical marijuana bill - 6/26/2018
Maine cities, towns may gain control over all retail marijuana sales - 6/25/2018
Maine's highest court rules employer's can't be forced to cover the cost of medical marijuana - 4/14/2018
Recreational vs. medical: taxes divide pot advocates, LePage - 4/19/2018
Medical marijuana reform bill advances - 4/18/2018
Specialists in marijuana extraction may finally get own state license - 3/26/2018
Lawmakers advance bill that would make over medical marijuana program - 3/7/2018
As Maine's recreational pot law stalls, lawmakers seek to revamp medical marijuana progam - 2/7/2018
Medical marijuana sales, caregivers and patient numbers decline - 2/2/2018
LePage agrees to delay new, more restrictive medical marijuana rules - 1/31/2018
Legislative panels vote to extend ban on adult-use pot, delay medical rules - 1/19/2018
Suit aims to protect Maine medical pot patients, growers from new regulations - 1/18/2018
Maine lawmakers trying to rein in large medical marijuana growers - 1/11/2018
Bill would allow kids prescribed medical marijuana to receive it at school - 1/8/2018
Draft bill would allow Maine dispensaries, caregivers to sell recreational marijuana - 9/13/2017
High court to decide if medical marijuana covered by workers' comp - 9/12/2017
Emergency legislation closing medical marijuana loophole signed into law - 6/29/2017
Caregivers raise alarm at hearing over proposed changes to Maine's medical marijuana rules - 6/14/2017
Medical marijuana safe from DOJ prosecution - for now - 5/10/2017
Biddeford to remove medical marijuana moratorium - 2/7/2017
Maine medical marijuana dispensaries want early entry to recreational market - 1/9/2017
Freeport-Pownal-Durham board weighs medical marijuana rules - 12/1/2016
[NCSL's] Marijuana deep dive - Fall 2016
Medical pot users worry about effort to legalize - 9/18/2016
Use medical marijuana or own a gun? Americans can't do both - 9/1/2016
Court says feds can't prosecute for medical pot use OKd by states - 8/16/2016
U.S. will affirm its prohibition on medical marijuana - 8/10/2016
Marijuana caregivers flourish as medical demand grows - 8/7/2016
Medical marijuana caregivers face restrictions in Saco - 8/1/2016
Dispensary group announces support for marijuana legalization in Maine - 7/28/2016
State says medical marijuana can't be used to treat drug addiction - 7/12/2016
DHHS considering proposal to fight opioid addiction with marijuana - 5/3/2016
More doctors certifying medical marijuana patients -4/10/2016
Fairfield seeks balance between medical marijuana grower, unhappy neighbors - 3/11/2016
Starks to consider medical marijuana moratorium - 3/10/2016
Charges against Montville couple show tension between law enforcement, medical marijuana law - 2/7/2016
Starks to consider moratorium on medical marijuans businesses - 1/21/2016
Medical marijuana sales jump in Maine - 1/19/2016
Court ruling highlights federal, state discord over medical marijuana - 10/28/2015
Lisbon eyes regulating medical pot - 10/23/2015
Maine tribe nears deal to develop marijuana cultivation facility - 9/8/2015
Medical marijuana a growth industry in Maine - 7/30/2015
Ban of medical marijuana in hospitals threatens sick children - 11/10/2014
Prescription painkiller deaths fall in Maine, other states with legal marijuana - 8/26/2014
Maine parents fight to treat sick children with medical marijuana - 12/14/2013
Federal prohibition of medical marijuana continues to handcuff now-legal industry in Maine - 9/6/2013
Maine marijuana company fined$18K for using pesticides - 9-6-2013
Medical marijuana : hundreds in Maine, apply to grow, state program takes in more than $600,000 in fees - 8/23/2013
Maine lawmakers lift ban on pesticides in medical marijuana growing - 6-17-2013
Maine bill would lift pesticide ban for marijuana plants 6-14-2013
Investigation reveals Maine medical marijuana dispensary used pesticides, violated rules 3-26-2013
Medical marijuana in the workplace 2-15-2013
Pittsfield woman sues temp agency, saying she was fired for using medical marijuana 2-12-2013
Legislator, ACLU : Maine's medical marijuana law falls short 12-11-2012
Advocates seek wider use for medical marijuana 12-6-2012
Medical marijuana: is it working? 10-21-2012
Maine State Housing commissioners lift pot ban for six months. 10-17-2012
Maine State Housing Authority to revisit medical marijuana decision. 10-16-2012
Patients, caregivers: new rules unreasonable for growing medical marijuana. 8-13-2012
Medical marijuana : how Maine is facing the challenge implementing the law 12-28-11
Pot patient privacy bill gets LePage OK 6-19-11
Maine – Panel Oks Bill To Kill Marijuana Registry 5-15-11
Bill eases Maine's medical marijuana rules 4-24-11
Maine to open first medicinal marijuana dispensaries on East Coast, but not without concerns 3-6-11
Councilors adopt medical marijuana rules 12-8-10
From 'marijuana is an herb' to 'how did this happen?' - 11-15-10
Auburn site OK'd for marijuana dispensary 11-14-10
State and federal marijuana laws collide 11-9-10
Maine's first dance with Mary Jane 8-15-10
Some Mainers object to California connection 8-15-10
Dispensaries "starting to crack the closet door" 8-15-10
Medical marijuana - caught Between state and federal law: what is an employer to do? 8-13-10
Maine's medical marijuana law runs into federal conflicts 7-13-10
Northeast Patients Group snares four of six marijuana dispensary licenses 7-13-10
Applications to Operate Maine's Medical Marijuana Dispensaries Pour in 6-25-10
Medicinal marijuana : a patient-driven phenomenon 6-14-10
Maine still struggling with new medical marijuana rules 6-8-10
Medical pot users : proposed fees too high 6-8-10
Conference addresses medical marijuana use 6-6-10
Montel Williams lights up the Maine Medical Marijuana Conference 6-6-10
State opens applications for pot shops 5-7-10
Bangor seeks moratorium on pot dispensaries 5-5-10
The East Coast stumble in legalizing medical marijuana 4-20-10
Maine bill allows 8 marijuana dispensaries 4-6-10
Medical pot deal reached : Legislative panel OKs 8 dispensaries, registration and a state ID card 3-19-10
STATE HOUSE: Growing, distributing medical marijuana at issue 3-18-10
11/18/2022 A-Z List