Josh Horn spoke with Law.com’s Cheryl Miller to discuss Pennsylvania’s second round of medical marijuana licensing, which begins April 5.

With a six-week window to submit bids for one of the 13 grower-processor permits and 23 dispensary licenses, Josh said he doesn’t see the same level of buzz as he did in Pennsylvania’s first round when the state received more than 500 submissions competing for 39 permits.

Josh said he chalks that up to entrepreneurs with “pie-in-the-sky visions” who now realize how “uber-competitive” and highly regulated the market is.

Pennsylvania’s rush to grant new permits was likely a response to product shortages, Josh said, as well as New Jersey’s potential launch of recreational marijuana and Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ rescission of the Cole memo.

"States such as Pennsylvania were of the view that the quicker we get the program going, the less likely it will be disrupted at the federal level," Josh said. "It becomes that much more difficult to unwind."