Big multistate operators such as Jushi and, most notoriously, Arizona-based Harvest Inc., have sought to build market share by taking operating control of companies that underwent an extraordinarily competitive process to win the original permits. Harvest bragged to investors early this year that it controlled permits for 21 stores in Pennsylvania, six more than allowed, because it won permits using slightly different names. The Department of Health, which had previously congratulated the company, then threatened to strip Harvest of all its permits if it couldn’t prove they were awarded to independent companies. Harvest relented and returned two of the less desirable permits to the state.