Last year, Vermont became one of the first states to approve the creation of businesses that will grow and sell marijuana for medical purposes.
This week the Green Mountain State took a step toward opening four dispensaries after the department of public safety released a five-page application.
Those businesses will provide the drug to people with chronic illnesses only after it's been prescribed from a doctor.
Vermont Criminal Information Center Director Jeffrey Wallin says his agency has also developed a process to make sure no one cheats the system.
"Checking to make sure a equals b, everything lines up will be both financially auditing them as well to make sure that they money coming in is the money going out," said Wallin.
Here's another catch, just because Vermont says it's legal, doesn't mean the federal government agrees.
"It's really a question of whether the federal authorities decide it's worth their resources to prosecute these cases," said Vermont Law School Professor Michele Martinez Campbell.
Last year the US attorney in Vermont warned lawmakers that the dispensaries broke federal law.
We reached out to him for comment Tuesday, but our calls weren't returned.
The US Department of Justice did send us a statement saying, "It's focusing on significant drug traffickers, not people who comply with state law".
But law experts say that could always changes and people could find themselves in big trouble.
"Certainly we're talking about a period of years in jail, even at relatively low quantities. I mean federal drug sentences are pretty severe," said Martinez Campbell.
Not to mention the loss of a $30-thousand dollar annual fee to operate.
People have until June 22nd to apply.
After that, police aren't sure when they'll approve which places will get the business.
Medical marijuana application:
http://vcic.vermont.gov/sites/vcic/files/Marijuana%20Dispensary%20Application%20Final.pdf
