Six businesses have been selected to apply for permits to open new medical marijuana dispensaries. Two applicants were chosen for the north, central and southern parts of the state, ensuring patients have better access to pain-relieving medicine. Before receiving approval to grow medical marijuana, the chosen applicants now must pass background checks, provide evidence of a dispensary location and municipal approval, and comply with all regulations under the Division of Medical Marijuana, including safety and security requirements. DOH has made winning RFA applications available for public review. The 146 applications were reviewed by a six-person committee consisting of four DOH representatives and one each from the Departments of Agriculture and Treasury. Their expertise included medical marijuana, ATC regulation, lab testing, plant science, diversity and procurement. Prior to scoring the applications, committee members received implicit bias training from the State’s Chief Diversity Officer to ensure an impartial selection process. This was an objective, data-driven selection process. The committee scored the applications and then DOH chose the top scorers in each region. Some applicants applied for more than one region but the Department only allowed an applicant to be chosen for one region.