DELAWARE- Delaware officially launched recreational marijuana sales on August 1, allowing adults 21 and over to legally purchase cannabis products from licensed retailers for the first time.
According to the Office of the Marijuana Commissioner, the initial rollout includes a limited number of existing medical marijuana compassion centers that have obtained conversion licenses to serve both medical and adult-use consumers.
Officials say the launch follows the 2023 passage of the Marijuana Control Act, which legalized cannabis for adult use and established Delaware’s regulatory framework. Under the law, conversion licenses allowed medical providers to transition into the dual-use market, serving as the first wave of adult-use cannabis access in the state.
Officials with the OMC said additional licensees—including cultivators, product manufacturers, retailers and testing laboratories—are expected to begin operations in the coming months. These licensees will support both medical patients and adult-use customers in a combined system.
According to the OMC, the conversion license process provided a head start by allowing sales through existing cannabis businesses while also generating $4 million in start-up grant funding for social equity licensees.
The agency said it received more than 1,200 license applications during the 2024 application period and awarded 125 licenses through a public lottery in December. Officials said conditional and active licenses are being issued on a rolling basis as background checks are completed and regulatory requirements are met.