The director of the Arizona Department of Health Services posted the following on her blog on April 27, 2016:
“Last week the Arizona Medical Marijuana Program turned five. Voters passed Proposition 203 in the fall of 2010, making Arizona the fourteenth state to legalize medical marijuana. Within 120 days of Proposition 203 passing, we developed the Medical Marijuana Program and issued the first medical marijuana card to a qualifying patient on April 14, 2011. As of today, there are 94,461 qualifying patients, 2,544 dispensary agents, and 834 designated caregivers licensed.
There are 99 licensed medical marijuana dispensaries, with 92 currently open and operating. Approximately 97 percent of Arizonans are now residing within 25 miles of an operating medical marijuana dispensary. There are 75 cultivation sites located outside of the operating dispensaries. Some of those dispensaries and cultivation sites include kitchens approved to prepare edible food products.
Later this summer we plan on accepting new applications for medical marijuana dispensaries . The exact number is not known at this time, but there will likely be about 30 licenses available. The application packet is currently posted on our website and more information will be posted on our website as it becomes available. So if you’re interested in opening up a dispensary in Arizona, stay tuned for updated information!”
