Maine has seen a mass exodus of cannabis caregivers over the past year.
From the end of 2021 through January 2023, more than 1,350 caregivers have exited the program, resulting in a net loss of more than 800.
The state defines a cannabis caregiver as “a person who agrees to assist a qualifying patient with the medical use of cannabis.”
Caregivers help patients administer, purchase, and transport cannabis products for personal use. They can manage up to five qualifying patients at once.
Caregivers surveyed most commonly said over supply of product/lower prices was the primary reason they left the program.
The next four most common reasons cited were utility costs, business costs, banking regulations/fees, and competition with the adult use market.
Maine’s Office of Cannabis Policy is calling for updates to statutes to help alleviate the overproduction problems affecting the medical cannabis market in the state.
