Businesses which produce marijuana submitted 40 applications for conditional licenses to operate in Maine on the day forms were rolled out.

The page received 4,000 hits, of which 1,000 were unique views according to David Heidrich of the Office of Marijuana Policy.

Maine has a mutli-leveled application process for adult-use marijuana businesses. Licensees or employees of those businesses initially have to get an individual identification card, which requires a background check and finger printing. Applicants then can get individual conditional licenses for cultivation, testing, manufacturing facilities and stores.

A yearlong operating license is based upon municipal government approval.

By Friday afternoon, the state had received 21 applications for stores, 13 applications for cultivation and six for manufacturing, however, no businesses applied for a testing facility license.

Governor Janet mills administration hopes to have the first recorded recreational marijuana sales by march.