The Utah Department of Agriculture and Food (UDAF) will begin accepting applications Monday for a new independent medical marijuana pharmacy intended to improve access for patients in rural and underserved areas.
The application period will run from August 3 through September 2. The license is the second of two independent pharmacy licenses required under House Bill 54, which lawmakers approved during the 2025 legislative session.
After UDAF reviews the applications for eligibility, the Specialized Product Authority Licensing Board will select one applicant. State law requires the license to be issued before January 1, 2027.
To qualify, the pharmacy must be located in a medically underserved area within a county classified as third, fourth, fifth or sixth class. Applicants must also demonstrate sufficient financial resources, knowledge of Utah’s medical marijuana regulations and the ability to operate a secure and compliant facility.
The selected licensee must be independent from Utah’s existing medical marijuana pharmacies and production businesses. It cannot hold a financial interest in another pharmacy or be owned by an entity with an interest in or control over a medical marijuana production establishment.
Applications must include a detailed facility layout and security plan, standard operating procedures for dispensing products, inventory management and patient consultations, and information about the qualifications of pharmacists, technicians and other key personnel.
Applications and supplemental documents will be available through the UDAF grants portal beginning August 3. Applicants must register for a Utah ID and submit their materials online. Applications can be saved and edited until formally submitted.
UDAF said the new pharmacy will operate under state regulations designed to ensure product quality and patient safety.
The department also noted that an earlier version of its announcement included incomplete language defining the independence requirement and a provision requiring 15 years of operation. The language was corrected or removed to reflect the eligibility standards that will apply during the 2026 application process.
Sponsors:
