Mayor Muriel Bowser has introduced legislation aimed at giving medical cannabis businesses in Washington, D.C. more time to establish themselves. The Medical Cannabis Conditional Licensure Extension Amendment Acts of 2025—introduced in permanent, temporary and emergency forms—would extend the expiration date on conditional licenses from two years to four years.
The bill was introduced by Chairman Phil Mendelson on Sept. 16, 2025. Hundreds of the cannabis businesses applied and received conditional licenses starting in 2023 that allowed them two years to get open. However, a fraction of the retailers and even fewer cultivators and manufacturers have been able to open due to issues with real estate and funding. Many conditional licenses were set to expire beginning this past summer.
The change would affect cultivation centers, retailers, internet retailers, manufacturers, couriers and testing laboratories. Under current law, businesses must find and secure a permanent location within two years of receiving a conditional license. Industry stakeholders argued that this timeline is too short given the city’s competitive real estate market, zoning restrictions and the complexities of launching compliant cannabis operations…