Delaware Recreational Weed Is Legal and Available
The first month of sales for Delaware recreational weed proved to be a good deal, with $7.35 million in purchases reported in August 2025. The Office of the Marijuana Commissioner announced Delaware recreational dispensaries saw “strong results” from customers “demonstrating broad interest in a variety of products including flower, vapes, edibles, pre-rolls, tinctures, and topicals.” Of these sales, the largest product category was flower, with $4,065,032 in purchases and amounting to roughly 55% of total sales. Although the answer to the question “is recreational weed legal in Delaware” has been “yes” for two years now, sales only officially began last month. The Diamond State is the 22nd to open its recreational marijuana market.
At the end of July 2025, Gov. Meyer and Marijuana Commissioner Josh Sanderlin met with Delaware Technical Community College students who are part of the state’s first cannabis workforce training initiative. These students are learning industry best practices in cultivation, safe manufacturing protocols and compliance.
“The recreational cannabis market is a real opportunity to grow our economy, create good-paying jobs and allow us to right previous wrongs in our communities,” said Gov. Meyer. “The students at Del Tech who are already training to work in this new industry are an indicator that the future is bright. We’re committed to doing this the right way.”
Delaware Weed Laws Still Developing
Regulators have issued 79 conditional cannabis licenses and three active licenses, and the state plans to distribute Social Equity Financial Assistance grants for qualifying licensees. A total of 125 licenses will ultimately be issued, including 30 retailers, 60 cultivators, 30 manufacturers and five testing labs.
Last year, regulators also detailed what portion of each category is reserved for social equity applicants, microbusinesses and general open licenses. However, Gov. Meyer recently vetoed a bill that would have overruled local zoning authority on cannabis and make it easier for cannabis businesses to open. The Delaware governor’s veto accompanied a proposal reportedly brokered with Sussex County leaders to send 4.5% of the 15% state sales tax to the county or municipality in which a marijuana business is located to “offset the local costs associated with zoning, permitting, enforcement and infrastructure.”
Delaware Medical Cannabis Expansion
As of 2025, Delaware weed laws increased the qualifying medical conditions to 17. For patients under 18, the state recognizes five qualifying conditions for medical access. The qualifying conditions for minors are intractable epilepsy, and a chronic or debilitating disease or medical condition unresponsive to other treatments and involving one or more of cachexia or wasting syndrome, intractable nausea, severe, painful and persistent muscle spasms, or Autism Spectrum Disorder with self-injurious or aggressive behavior.
Delaware does add new qualifying conditions to update its medical marijuana program, as evidenced in 2025. The Department of Health and Social Services accepts petitions for new additions, through its Office of Medical Marijuana, from residents of the state. It accepts or denies these petitions within 180 days of receiving them. Since the inception of its medical marijuana program, Delaware added Autism Spectrum Disorder to the list of qualifying conditions in 2018, but has denied petitions for anxiety and opioid use disorder.
Delaware Seeks Resident, Retailer Cannabis Input
In an effort to identify any issues with the rollout of recreational weed in Delaware, two lawmakers are seeking input from consumers and businesses about the launch. Sen. Trey Paradee and House Majority Whip Rep. Ed Osienski — the primary sponsor of the state’s 2023 legalization bills — put out an online marijuana feedback form for residents to share thoughts about the cannabis program anonymously. A popular topic has been Delaware recreational dispensaries, for now, being solely already-established medical cannabis shops. Six existing medical dispensary companies, which have been serving patients since 2015, are the current options. Share your thoughts on needed policy adjustments to be represented in the 2026 session.
Details of Delaware Cannabis Law
Delaware weed laws permit adults 21 and older with a valid photo ID to buy cannabis at 12 retail locations in the Diamond State. Recreational weed in Delaware carries a 15% sales tax, while medical marijuana purchases remain untaxed. Travel across state lines with cannabis purchased in Delaware is not allowed; consumption in public is also banned, as well as driving under the influence. In regard to amounts, no more than one ounce of bud or other “leaf” marijuana can be purchased or be in possession at one time, as well as 12 grams of concentrated cannabis, or 750 milligrams worth of edibles.
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