Delaware Governor Matt Meyer and Marijuana Commissioner Josh Sanderlin toured First State Compassion, a MariMed-owned cannabis cultivation facility in Milford, as the state kicks off its adult-use recreational market.
Governor Meyer and the Commissioner also met with students from Delaware Technical Community College who are part of the state’s first cannabis workforce training initiative. These students are learning industry best practices in cultivation, safe manufacturing protocols, and compliance.
Delaware’s recreational cannabis market is projected to generate more than $40 million in annual revenue, creating new job opportunities and investment pathways across the state.
“The recreational cannabis market is a real opportunity to grow our economy, create good-paying jobs, and allow us to right previous wrongs in our communities,” said Meyer. “The students at Del Tech who are already training to work in this new industry are an indicator that the future is bright. We’re committed to doing this the right way—with strong safety standards, quality training, and product testing that ensures Delawareans have access to safe, reliable cannabis. Delaware will truly be the French wine of weed.”
Six medical marijuana businesses with a total of 13 locations were awarded recreational licenses earlier this summer. The Office of the Marijuana Commissioner (OMC) is actively working to issue additional licenses, including social equity licenses.
The Governor and Commissioner were joined by leadership from MariMed, which owns First State Compassion, as well as Delaware Tech faculty and workforce development staff. The group discussed job projections, upcoming retail activity, and ways to support long-term industry success.
“I’ve witnessed firsthand the incredible potential of the cannabis industry to drive economic growth in Delaware,” Nick Lee, Senior Manager of Cultivation for MariMed’s First State Compassion. “Programs like the Cannabis Industry Training Program are more essential than ever. Cultivation plays a critical role in creating quality jobs and advancing expertise for as responsible an industry as possible.”
