PORTLAND, Maine — Maine’s largest city will be behind other communities in the state when legal marijuana sales begin this year.

Leaders of Portland's health and human services and economic development committees said Tuesday they will probably need to meet twice more before they can send proposed marijuana rules to the City Council, the Portland Press Herald reported. That means the council is unlikely to vote on the proposed rules until March.

March is also the month state have officials have said residents can expect recreational sales to begin in the state. Voters approved legalized marijuana in Maine in 2016, but the road to full legalization has been long and complex.