Eleven medical marijuana dispensaries will likely be up and running in Massachusetts by early 2015.

Since Massachusetts voters approved medical marijuana in November 2012, the licensing process has hit several delays. More than 18 months after the law went into effect, the process remains behind the original schedule. The state initially anticipated up to 35 dispensaries would be licensed by January 2014.

The Department of Public Health announced on June 27 that 11 proposed dispensaries will receive provisional licenses and are on track to begin operating pending inspections and local approval.

State law requires the DPH to license at least one, but no more than five dispensaries per county. Up to 35 dispensaries are allowed statewide under the law.

In late 2013, a field of 181 dispensary applications was reduced to 100. Then in January, the DPH further reduced the field to 20.

In the June 27 announcement, the department eliminated nine of the remaining applications, citing issues such as financial irregularities and misrepresentations of local support.

“This process is designed to ensure only the highest quality applicants advance to meet the patient access and public safety needs of the commonwealth,” Karen van Unen, executive director of the DPH’s Medical Use of Marijuana Program, said in a statement. “Those advancing have passed comprehensive background checks and investigative reviews. Prior to opening, each must comply with all inspection and municipal requirements.”

The approved applicants and proposed dispensary sites moving to the inspection phase are the William Noyes Webster Foundation (Dennis), Alternative Therapies Group (Salem), Healthy Pharms (Haverhill), New England Treatment Access (Northampton, Brookline), Central Ave. Compassionate Care (Ayer), Garden Remedies (Newton), Patriot Care Corp. (Lowell), Ermont Inc. (Quincy), In Good Health (Brockton) and Bay State Relief (Milford).

Bay State Relief is now doing business as Milford Medicinals.

The recently rejected applications are Brighton Health Advocates (Fairhaven), Debilitating Medical Condition Treatment Centers (Holyoke), Good Chemistry of Massachusetts (Boston, Worcester), Green Heart Holistic Health and Pharmaceuticals (Boston), Medical Marijuana of Massachusetts (Plymouth, Mashpee, Taunton) and Greeneway Wellness Foundation (Cambridge).

Although seven counties are without an approved dispensary, the 11 sites would bring 97 percent of the state’s population within 30 miles of a dispensary, according to the Department of Public Health.

Four applicants that scored high but didn’t make the cut will be invited to apply in the coming months for a dispensary in a county that doesn’t have an approved applicant. They are Coastal Compassion, JCS Holdings, Mass Medicum Corp. and Patriot Care Corp. Patriot Care submitted multiple applications, but only got approval for its proposed Lowell site.

Suffolk, Bristol, Hampden, Berkshire, Franklin, Dukes and Nantucket counties are currently open for marijuana dispensary applications.

The DPH also plans to launch a second round of applications next year.

Gerry Tuoti is the Regional Newsbank Editor for GateHouse Media New England. Email him at gtuoti@wickedlocal.com or call him at 508-967-3137.