Utah health officials plan to award pharmacy licenses to 10 companies to dispense medical marijuana at 14 sites across the state.

The issuance of licenses in Utah is considered a milestone development for the launch of the program later this year.At least three of the licenses were awarded to multistate marijuana operators – Bloom Medicinals of Florida, Columbia Care of Illinois and Curaleaf of Massachusetts.

The sites chosen by the state health department are largely in metro Salt Lake City or elsewhere in northern Utah. However, they also include two in southern Utah and one in rural eastern Utah.

Eight sites might open as early as March while others would open by July, the department said.

Dispensaries in Utah might face licensing fees of $50,000 to almost $70,000 in a market where medical marijuana sales could reach $25 million-$35 million by 2022, according to Marijuana Business Daily projections.

– Associated Press