Now that Arizona voters have passed the state’s medical-marijuana act, the following dates are important milestones in what happens next.

If you’re thinking of opening a marijuana dispensary, becoming a cardholding MMA patient or merely curious about upcoming events surrounding this issue, this list will help.


December 17, 2010: The Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) posted the initial informal draft of the rules for the implementation of Proposition 203, The Arizona Medical Marijuana Act.

December 17, 2010 – January 7, 2011: The public commented on the initial draft rules.

January 31, 2011: ADHS posts the official draft rules for the implementation of Proposition 203.

January 31 - February 18: The public can comment on the new rules draft via ADHS’s website (azdhs.gov) or at a series of public meetings (see below).

February 14: Public meeting, Flagstaff City Hall, Council Chambers, 211 W. Aspen Ave., Flagstaff, 10:00 am to 1 pm.

February 15: Public meeting, ASU Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law, The Great Hall, 1100 S. McAllister Ave., Tempe, 3:30 pm to 6:30 pm.

February 16: Public meeting, U of A James E. Rodgers College of Law, Ares Auditorium, 1201 E. Speedway, Tucson, 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm.

February 17: Public meeting, ASU Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law, The Great Hall, 1100 S. McAllister Ave., Tempe, 9:00 am to noon. 

March 28: ADHS publishes the final rules to implement Prop 203.

April: ADHS begins accepting applications for medical marijuana patient/caregiver identification cards and for medical marijuana dispensary certificates. The law permits one medical marijuana dispensary for every 10 licensed pharmacies in the state, or 124 dispensaries. At press time, ADHS officials had not determined whether they would award dispensary licenses to qualified applicants based on merit, a first-come basis, or a lottery. The agency has 90 days to approve and issue dispensary certificates.

July – August, approximately: Dispensary licenses will be assigned. Only after receiving a license may dispensaries begin to grow marijuana, all of which must be grown in Arizona. It takes about three to four months to grow cannabis from seed to harvest.

October – November, approximately: Dispensaries will begin selling marijuana.

You might also be interested in our monthly 'Hot Topic' feature 'Arizona’s Medical Marijuana Law'.