Mayor Muriel Bowser has introduced a major policy proposal that could reshape the future of medical cannabis businesses in the District of Columbia. Her new legislation the Medical Cannabis Conditional Licensure Extension Amendment Acts of 2025 seeks to give medical cannabis operators more time to establish themselves by extending conditional cannabis licenses terms from two years to four years.
The bill, formally introduced by Chairman Phil Mendelson on Sept. 16, 2025, responds to widespread concerns from entrepreneurs and advocates who argue that the current timeframe for opening a compliant medical cannabis business is too short. Since 2023, hundreds of businesses have applied for and received conditional cannabis licenses, but only a fraction of retailers, cultivators, and manufacturers have been able to open due to challenges securing real estate and funding. Many conditional cannabis license approvals were set to expire as early as the summer of 2025.
Under existing rules, operators must find and secure a permanent location within two years of obtaining conditional cannabis licenses. In a city with high rents, strict zoning, and a competitive real estate market, that timeline has proven difficult. The proposed change would apply to cultivation centers, retailers, internet retailers, manufacturers, couriers, and testing laboratories holding conditional cannabis licenses.
This would give businesses more breathing room to open and operate under compliant cannabis licenses. Supporters say this extension is especially critical for small and equity-owned businesses that often face even more obstacles in finding suitable spaces for legal cannabis licenses operation.
The District’s medical cannabis market is under pressure from rapid expansion without a matching increase in patient demand. While the extension could provide stability for existing operators, critics warn it may also slow the entry of new businesses into the market. Nevertheless, allowing more time under conditional cannabis licenses could help current businesses overcome financial and logistical barriers before opening their doors.
Pending Council approval, mayoral sign-off, congressional review, and publication in the D.C. Register, the measure would backdate its provisions to June 28, 2025. For many entrepreneurs, this could mean a lifeline and a renewed opportunity to secure and fully launch their cannabis licenses operations in Washington, D.C.
