According to documents filed in county court last week, Blue Arrow submitted five dispensary applications, two cultivation applications and two manufacturing applications in 2019. Of those, five were conditionally denied by the state Department of Health and Senior Services.
In 2020, Blue Arrow appealed the department’s denial of two dispensary location applications. Hearings for both appeals were held in 2023; Missouri’s Administrative Hearing Commission upheld the denials in January, citing shortcomings in the company’s plans for security, diverse hiring, storage and more.
Blue Arrow hired an attorney who determined that Blue Arrow’s application deserved higher scores, based on a retrospective analysis. However, the commission found this analysis subjective, calling the method “deeply flawed” as the attorney reviewed only a small pool of applicants.
Now, Blue Arrow is challenging the decisions, claiming that the Administrative Hearing Commission’s decision violates its constitutional rights, is not supported by evidence, was made without without a fair trial and more. Through its lawsuits, the cannabis company is asking the court to grant it two marijuana dispensary licenses.
Health department spokesperson Sami Jo Freeman said that the DHSS cannot comment on pending litigation.
H/T: www.stltoday.com
