For Journalists & Researchers

Press kit, embeddable data widgets, expert sources, and citation-ready statistics for anyone covering Maine cannabis policy, business, or regulation.

Quick-Reference Data

Need a stat for a story right now? Skip to the Key Statistics section. Everything below is free to cite with attribution.

Dataset update — August 11, 2026

We audited the Opt-In Tracker against OCP primary sources: 13 unsupported rows removed, 57 missing authorized municipalities added, and active-store counts rebuilt from the OCP licensee roster. The statewide dataset now covers all 78 OCP-authorized incorporated municipalities; fee and opt-in-year details remain verified for 21 rows and are null elsewhere rather than guessed. Full methodology: Maine Cannabis Opt-In Tracker Audit: 13 Removed, 57 Added · correction record: corrections log.

Key Statistics — Maine Cannabis, August 2026

All numbers from Maine Dispensary Guide's primary research and the Maine Office of Cannabis Policy (OCP).

78
OCP-authorized incorporated municipalities statewide
184
Active adult-use Store licenses linked to authorized municipalities
16
Counties with at least one opt-in municipality
2017–2021
Verified opt-in years in the 21-row detail subset

Suggested citation formats

According to Maine Dispensary Guide's OCP-derived 2026 Opt-In Tracker, 78 of Maine's 485 incorporated municipalities are recorded as authorized for adult-use retail, with 184 active adult-use Store licenses linked to those municipalities across all 16 counties (mainedispensaryguide.com, August 2026).

Maine Dispensary Guide's statewide authorization model records 78 retail-authorized incorporated municipalities and 407 with no OCP-recorded retail authorization. It currently classifies zero municipalities as evidence-backed explicit opt-outs; an OCP activity flag of N is not treated as proof of a local rejection vote. Source: Maine Dispensary Guide, August 2026.

Opt-In Tracker Data — Full Table

This is the complete OCP-authorized municipality universe behind our Opt-In Tracker guide. Store counts cover every row; opt-in year and license-fee fields are populated only for the 21 previously reviewed detail rows and show “—” elsewhere rather than an estimate. Use it for maps, charts, or deeper analysis with that field-level caveat.

TownCountyTypeYear Opted InLicense FeeActive Store licenses
AnsonSomersetTown——0
AuburnAndroscogginCity2018$1,5007
AugustaKennebecCity2019$1,5005
AvonFranklinTown——0
BangorPenobscotCity2018$2,50010
BathSagadahocCity2020$1,0002
BerwickYorkTown——3
BethelOxfordTown——3
BiddefordYorkCity2019$1,5003
BoothbayLincolnTown——1
BowdoinhamSagadahocTown——0
BrewerPenobscotCity2020$1,0003
BridgtonCumberlandTown——3
BrunswickCumberlandTown2019$1,5003
BuckfieldOxfordTown——0
BucksportHancockTown——1
Carrabassett ValleyFranklinTown——2
CascoCumberlandTown——2
ChelseaKennebecTown——1
ColumbiaWashingtonTown——2
DamariscottaLincolnTown——2
DetroitSomersetTown——1
EliotYorkTown——6
EllsworthHancockCity2019$1,2500
EustisFranklinTown——1
FairfieldSomersetTown——1
FarmingtonFranklinTown——2
FryeburgOxfordTown——1
GardinerKennebecCity2021$7503
Grand IsleAroostookTown——0
GreenvillePiscataquisTown——1
HallowellKennebecCity——1
HollisYorkTown——2
JacksonWaldoTown——0
JonesportWashingtonTown——0
KitteryYorkTown2018$2,0003
LebanonYorkTown——5
LewistonAndroscogginCity2018$2,0008
LincolnPenobscotTown——2
LisbonAndroscogginTown——1
ManchesterKennebecTown——3
Mechanic FallsAndroscogginTown——1
MedwayPenobscotTown——1
MiloPiscataquisTown——2
NewportPenobscotTown——2
NewryOxfordTown——2
NorthportWaldoTown——2
Old Orchard BeachYorkTown2019$1,5001
OronoPenobscotTown2021$1,0001
OxfordOxfordTown——4
ParisOxfordTown——0
ParsonsfieldYorkTown——2
PerryWashingtonTown——0
PeruOxfordTown——1
PolandAndroscogginTown——2
PortlandCumberlandCity2017$5,00027
Presque IsleAroostookCity2020$7501
RichmondSagadahocTown——0
RocklandKnoxCity2019$1,2504
RomeKennebecTown——1
SanfordYorkCity2020$1,0004
ShirleyPiscataquisTown——0
SolonSomersetTown——1
SomervilleLincolnTown——1
South PortlandCumberlandCity2018$2,50012
Southwest HarborHancockTown——1
StacyvillePenobscotTown——0
ThomastonKnoxTown——2
ThorndikeWaldoTown——0
TurnerAndroscogginTown——3
WadeAroostookTown——0
WashburnAroostookTown——0
WatervilleKennebecCity2020$1,0006
WiltonFranklinTown——0
WindhamCumberlandTown——2
WinslowKennebecTown2021$7501
WiscassetLincolnTown2021$7501
WoolwichSagadahocTown——2

License: All data on this page is released under CC BY 4.0 — free to use with attribution to mainedispensaryguide.com.

Embeddable Widget — Drop-In Use

Use this iframe to embed the live opt-in table on your own site. It will auto-update as we publish new municipal data.

Embed code

<iframe 
  src="https://mainedispensaryguide.com/embed/opt-in-tracker"
  width="100%" 
  height="600" 
  frameborder="0"
  title="Maine Cannabis Opt-In Tracker">
</iframe>

JSON API (for developers / data journalists)

GET https://mainedispensaryguide.com/data/maine-opt-in-towns.json

Returns {
  "meta": { "as_of": "2026-08-11", "town_count": 78, "counties_covered": 16, ... },
  "towns": [ { "town": "Portland", "county": "Cumberland", 
            "year_opted_in": 2017, "license_fee_usd": 5000, ... }, ... ]
}

Use the JSON for your own visualizations, maps, or analysis. The embed iframe is generated from the same source dataset.

Live preview

↑ This is what the embed looks like on your site:

TownYearActive Store licenses
Anson, Somerset—0
Auburn, Androscoggin20187
Augusta, Kennebec20195
Avon, Franklin—0
Bangor, Penobscot201810
...and 73 more rows in the full embed

Boilerplate — About Maine Dispensary Guide

Drop-in descriptions for your publication. Use whichever length fits.

Short (~30 words)

Maine Dispensary Guide (mainedispensaryguide.com) is an independent Maine cannabis research resource publishing municipal authorization data, operator guides, regulatory explainers, and citation-ready market analysis.

Medium (~75 words)

Maine Dispensary Guide is an independent B2B research and publishing project that helps cannabis entrepreneurs navigate Maine's municipal authorization system, OCP licensing, 280E taxation, and operator economics. Its OCP-derived tracker covers all 78 retail-authorized incorporated municipalities and links active Store-license counts to each; municipal fee and opt-in-year details are independently populated for 21 rows and null elsewhere. The project also publishes local guides and citation-ready market research.

Long (~150 words)

Maine Dispensary Guide (mainedispensaryguide.com) is an independent research and publishing project for Maine cannabis operators, entrepreneurs, journalists, and policy readers. Its municipal data system separates the complete 485-municipality authorization model from the 78-row retail-authorized dataset, which adds active Store-license counts from the OCP roster. Fee and opt-in-year fields are populated only where independently reviewed rather than inferred. Beyond the tracker, the project publishes local guides, regulatory explainers, market analysis, and operator resources. Dataset changes are dated in a public corrections log, and the journalist-facing data is released under CC BY 4.0. For research requests, data corrections, or interviews, contact the press desk below.

Expert Sources Available for Interview

Our team is available to comment on Maine cannabis regulation, market dynamics, and operator economics. Brief bios below.

Eliot Nash — Market & Real Estate Analyst

Founder of Maine Dispensary Guide. Background in commercial real estate analysis and cannabis operator economics. Can speak to: municipal opt-in politics, real estate selection, dispensary site selection, 280E tax dynamics, caregiver markets.

Reach: Through the contact form below. Typical response time: < 24 hours on weekdays.

Margaret Finch — Finance & Taxation Analyst

Specialist in cannabis-specific accounting (280E) and Maine tax structure. Can speak to: 280E cost-of-goods analysis, Maine excise tax, cannabis operator P&L dynamics, IRS audit defense.

Reach: Through the contact form below. Typical response time: 24-48 hours on weekdays.

Story Angles We're Set Up to Support

If you're working on any of these, we have data and contacts ready:

Guest Contributions & Bylines

Eliot Nash (MDG founder) writes bylined guest pieces for trade and regional publications covering Maine cannabis policy, operator economics, and rural-market dynamics. If you're an editor or section producer working on a relevant angle, Eliot can typically turn around a 1,000-2,500 word piece inside two weeks; longer co-reported features run on a negotiated timeline.

Byline topics Eliot covers well

For editors

Pitch Eliot directly at press@mainedispensaryguide.com with the working title, your editorial timeline, and any specific angle you're targeting. Bylines can run under MDG or under Eliot's name with an MDG credit line, whichever your publication prefers.

For prospective contributors

MDG also publishes bylined research, operator case studies, and policy analysis from outside contributors (CPAs, attorneys, operators, researchers). See our contributor guidelines for editorial standards, submission process, and topic-fit.

Direct Contact

For data corrections, citation requests, interviews, or to alert us to breaking news:

Cite Us

The data on this page is free to use under CC BY 4.0. Please attribute to mainedispensaryguide.com with the access date. For specific data points, link to the source page (e.g. mainedispensaryguide.com/guides/maine-cannabis-opt-in-tracker) rather than the homepage.
By Eliot NashPublished July 7, 2026