Sussex medical marijuana dispensary delays continue

The opening of Sussex County’s first medical marijuana center continues to be delayed.

First State Compassion Center, which operates Delaware’s only functioning medical marijuana dispensary in Wilmington, says it’s waiting for official approvals and inspections.

First State officials first anticipated opening the Sussex County facility in January. Then, during a late-March tour of the Sussex County facility – at The Vineyards at Nassau Valley, off Route 9 near Lewes – First State Compassion Center President Mark Lally said he anticipated an April opening. 

Since opening its doors in Wilmington in June 2015, First State has been the only entity allowed to distribute medical marijuana in Delaware, so patients from all over the state have had to drive to the Wilmington location to get their medicine.

In addition to the long-anticipated Sussex County location to be operated by First State, Delaware Division of Public Health also awarded a contract to open a dispensary in Kent County, to be operated by New York-based Columbia Care. That facility is expected to open later this year.