Delaware
Delaware weed czar resigns weeks after retail licenses are awarded
Delaware communities prepare for legal weed in 2025
Delaware municipalities prepare for the recreation marijuana industry, which is set to open legal retail shops in April 2025.
Delaware Marijuana Commissioner Rob Coupe will step down later this month as the industry continues its momentum toward opening.
Coupe was appointed by Gov. John Carney and confirmed by the state Senate to be the first commissioner after the use and sale of adult-use recreational marijuana was legalized in 2023. His last day will be Jan. 17, but he said he might use some vacation days before going back to construction as the chief of staff at CRx Construction in Rehoboth Beach.
A few days after Coupe leaves the office for good, Matt Meyer will be inaugurated as Delaware’s next governor.
Coupe was approaching his 40th year in public service. He has held leadership positions with the Delaware State Police, the Department of Safety and Homeland Security, the Department of Correction, the Department of Technology and Information and the Delaware Department of Justice.
“It seemed like a fitting time to go out,” he said.
Now, the position is back in the hands of the governor. Carney is still in office, but Matt Meyer is set to take over later this month. Despite this, Coupe said Deputy Marijuana Commissioner Paul Hyland will stay in his role while continuing to lead the Office of the Marijuana toward its goal of opening retail locations in the spring.
Coupe said he is proud of how the office has handled the challenge of regulating and guiding the new industry.
“We’ve made a lot of progress,” he said. “It’s been a lot of great partnerships to pull this off.”
A few weeks ago, 15 people were awarded open retail licenses out of 529 eligible applicants. Licenses for open and social equity cultivators, manufacturers and testers have been awarded for every county in the state since October. The state’s medical marijuana dispensaries, which Coupe brought under the Office of the Marijuana Commissioner, are also converting to adult-use recreational retail.
In a statement, Carney thanked Coupe for his service in Delaware.
“As I’ve said before, there are few people across our state who are more well-respected and more committed to serving the people of Delaware, than Rob Coupe,” Carney said. “I knew he was the right person to take on the challenge of serving as Delaware’s first Marijuana Commissioner and he has proven his success leading that Office.”
Shane Brennan covers New Castle County with a focus on Newark and surrounding communities. Reach out with ideas, tips or feedback at slbrennan@delawareonline.com. Follow @shanebrennan36 on X, formerly Twitter.
(This story was updated to add a photo gallery.)