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BUSINESS Monday 16 deceMber 2019
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Dozens apply to open marijuana businesses in now-legal Maine

By PATRICK WHITTLE Gov. Janet Mills, has been
Associated Press more open to working with
AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — the state’s nascent mari-
The first week of applica- juana industry.
tions to open marijuana Recreational marijuana
businesses in Maine has could be available in
been busy, with dozens of stores in Maine by spring
prospective businesses lin- 2020, Heidrich said.
ing up to sell, grow or make “It’s certainly possible —
edible products with the it really depends on the
newly legal drug. completeness of the ap-
The state started taking plications and the speed
the applications on Dec. at which municipalities
5, and it has received 76 of provide authorizations,” he
them so far, according to said.
the Maine Office of Mari- State officials have not re-
juana Policy. Thirty-eight leased the names of ap-
of the applications are for plicants for marijuana li-
retail stores, 27 are for culti- censes to the public, but
vation facilities and 11 are that could change soon.
for manufacturing facili- The state also needs ap-
ties, said David Heidrich, a plications from prospective
spokesman for the office. marijuana testing facilities
The facilities would also to ensure the safety of the
need local approval from In this June 28, 2017, photo, marijuana plants grow at a cultivation facility in Las Vegas. products, but has not re-
municipalities to be able Associated Press ceived any yet, Heidrich
to open. But they don’t said. At least one compa-
yet need brick-and-mor- “You don’t even need to for adult use in a Novem- in 2016 and has had retail ny is working on an appli-
tar stores, and that could have a building or a town, ber 2016 vote. It’s one of a stores for more than a year. cation, he said.
be motivating marijuana you just need to have a growing number of states One obstacle was that for- Maine already has a long-
entrepreneurs to test the dream,” Boyer said. “When to go legal, although the mer Gov. Paul LePage, a standing medical mari-
waters, said David Boyer, the town opts in, you can process of developing reg- Republican, was opposed juana program, and it is
an industry consultant who apply for the local license.” ulations and licensing busi- to legalization. He left of- continuing while the state
helped lead the state’s le- Maine voters approved nesses has been slow. Mas- fice in January. LePage’s rolls out legal recreational
galization drive. legal sales of marijuana sachusetts also went legal successor, Democratic marijuana.q

Holiday shopping off to slow start, US retail sales up 0.2%

By CHRISTOPHER RUGABER Sales plunged 1.1% at
Associated Press health and personal care
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. stores, the most in nearly a
retail sales rose at a mod- year, and dropped 0.6% at
est pace in November as clothing outlets. General
the holiday shopping sea- merchandise stores, which
son appeared to have a include large chains such
slow start. as Target, eked out a 0.1%
The Commerce Depart- gain.q
ment said Friday that retail
sales increased a seasonal-
ly adjusted 0.2% in Novem-
ber, down from 0.4% in the
previous month. Healthy
car sales lifted the over-
all figure. Excluding autos,
sales ticked up just 0.1%.
Steady job gains, a low
unemployment rate and
rising wages have lifted
consumer confidence and
economists expect this
year’s holiday shopping In this Nov. 29, 2019, file photo customers shop at a Kohl’s store in Colma, Calif.
season to be a healthy Associated Press
one. have discouraged some increased 3.3%, a slightly ance stores rose 0.7%, the
But with Thanksgiving fall- spending. faster pace than the previ- most since July. Gas station
ing later in November there Still, there were signs of ous month. sales also picked up 0.7%,
were fewer shopping days consumer health. Octo- Auto sales rose 0.5% in No- though that can reflect
after Black Friday. Parts of ber’s retail sales were re- vember, possibly buoyed higher prices at the pump.
the Midwest were also hit vised higher, to a gain of by lower interest rates on The retail sales figures
last month with snow and 0.4%, up from 0.3%. In the many auto loans. Sales aren’t adjusted for price
cold weather, which may past year, retail sales have at electronics and appli- changes.