© 2024 Maine Public

Bangor Studio/Membership Department
63 Texas Ave.
Bangor, ME 04401

Lewiston Studio
1450 Lisbon St.
Lewiston, ME 04240

Portland Studio
323 Marginal Way
Portland, ME 04101

Registered 501(c)(3) EIN: 22-3171529
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
Scroll down to see all available streams.
SIGNAL ALERT: WMEB TV will be off the air for maintenance for an extended period on 10/3/24.

Federal Court Rules Out-Of-State Companies Can Run Marijuana Dispensaries In Maine

In this Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2015 photo, Shamay Flaharty, of Lewiston, Ill., who has multiple sclerosis and is hoping cannabis will help ease her pain and headaches, meets with Eric Sweatt, partner and manager of Salveo Health and Wellness, a licensed medical cannabis dispensary, in Canton, Ill.
Seth Perlman
/
AP
In this Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2015 photo, Shamay Flaharty, of Lewiston, Ill., who has multiple sclerosis and is hoping cannabis will help ease her pain and headaches, meets with Eric Sweatt, partner and manager of Salveo Health and Wellness, a licensed medical cannabis dispensary, in Canton, Ill.

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) - A federal court has ruled that Maine cannot bar out-of-state companies from operating medical marijuana dispensaries.

The Portland Press Herald reports that U.S. District Court Judge Nancy Torresen ruled Wednesday in favor of Wellness Connection of Maine, and its parent company, High Street Capital Partners, of Delaware.

Their lawsuit sought to overturn a state requirement that all dispensaries be owned by Mainers.

The plaintiffs argued that the requirement devalued their company by limiting potential investors and stifled dispensaries statewide by limiting investment opportunities. The decision means that out-of-state investors will be able to open medical dispensaries and adult-use stores in Maine.