December 16th, 2017 by WCBC Radio

The Baltimore Sun reports medical marijuana regulators approved 12 new dispensaries Thursday to open in the state, more than doubling the number of businesses allowed to sell the drug. But they cautioned the supply remains low, and it may be difficult to buy marijuana until at least March.

“Product is limited,” said Bryan Lopez, chairman of the Medical Cannabis Commission. “We expect that it will continue to be limited.”

More than 18,000 people have registered to become medical marijuana patients so far, officials said, and another 5,000 registration requests are pending. But most of the state’s 14 growers only started cultivating late this summer.

The tight supply has driven up prices.

Patients are paying $480 to $680 an ounce for medical marijuana, said Darrell Carrington with Greenwill Consulting Group, a cannabis industry advisory group.