Last year, we posted information on the Arizona Social Equity program award. You can read the article here: Arizona Marijuana Social Equity Program. At the time, the Arizona Department of Health Services had limited information on when the winners would be announced. At this time, the department has insight into the event.
The Arizona Social Equity Program will award 26 individuals licenses on Friday, April 8, 2022. The drawing will take place at the department, and will be available to live stream online. The drawing will take place at 1pm Arizona Standard Time, and will be available to view here: azdhs.gov/live.
Obtaining a license does not mean the winners can immediately begin operations. Winners must apply for an approval to operate certificate from AZDHS Marijuana division. So what does that entail? Let’s look at those details.
For This Reason, We Offer Application Writing Services
Approval to Operate Certification
An approval to operate (ATO) is just that, it grants the license holder the right to legally dispense marijuana to consumers and profit from the sale. In order to obtain an “ATO” a company must prove it is ready to comply with Arizona’s marijuana statutes and rules. To being, the winners will have 18 months to prove they have the necessary resources to operate a marijuana establishment. In addition, the requested information may include the facility floor plan, local jurisdiction approval, and standard operating procedures outlining business hours, patient education, and processing details.
