Puerto Rico's medical cannabis program spent 2026 rewriting its own map. The regulator reopened dispensary applications in most of the island, published a market study, and kept issuing dispensary licenses in towns well outside the San Juan metro. For registered patients, the result is a short list of new places to check and a longer list of towns where a dispensario may be on the way.
Every dispensario on the island serves registered patients only. There is no adult-use market, so a dispensary visit starts with a valid patient registration and a government photo ID.
One documented 2026 opening: Dulce Vida, San Juan
55 Calle Brema, San Juan. Opened October 2026.
Dulce Vida, a San Juan company that has held manufacturing and transport licenses from the Junta Reglamentadora de Cannabis Medicinal (JRCM) since 2021, opened its own dispensario at its Calle Brema facility in October 2026, according to Revista Crónicas. The JRCM's October 2026 directory of licensed establishments lists the new dispensary license at the same address, Suite 101, where the company's manufacturing license is registered.
What's observable: a manufacturer now selling to patients from its own building. Call ahead for hours before the first visit, and bring the card and ID together.
Licensing reopened in 60 of 78 municipalities
On March 4, 2026, the JRCM signed Resolution 2026-001, which reopened applications for new dispensary licenses in 60 of Puerto Rico's 78 municipalities, according to Revista Crónicas and CannaCarib. The 18 municipalities the board judged most saturated stay closed to new dispensary applicants through February 28, 2027. The board also extended its moratorium on new cultivation applications through the same date.
The board's 2026 market study, now posted on the JRCM page, counts about 330 active dispensaries at the 2023 peak and just over 300 at the close of 2025, so the island had been losing storefronts before the reopening.
Newly licensed, not yet confirmed open
The JRCM's October 2026 directory includes 14 dispensary licenses with numbers issued in 2025 or 2026. They are spread well beyond the metro: Barceloneta, Cidra, Las Piedras, Toa Baja, Corozal, Cayey, Isabela, Lajas, San Sebastián, Adjuntas and Ponce, plus two in San Juan (Dulce Vida and one in Caimito).
A license in the directory means the JRCM has authorized the establishment. It doesn't say the doors are open, and only Dulce Vida has a dated public opening. Before driving to any of these towns for a new name, call the number on the JRCM directory. For the towns themselves, see the guides to Isabela, Adjuntas, Cayey and Ponce.
By the numbers
The JRCM's August 2026 statistics count 110,736 active patients and 59 certifying physicians in the program. The market study puts the patient base in a stable range of roughly 100,000 to 120,000, held up mostly by renewals.
How to check a dispensario is licensed
The JRCM's page at the Department of Health, salud.pr.gov/CMS/364, posts the current Directorio de establecimientos con licencia, the source of truth for whether a dispensario is licensed. A new storefront should appear there before it sells to a single patient. Licensed dispensaries check the patient registration and photo ID at the counter.
The rules, plainly:
- Registered patients only. A Puerto Rico patient registration, or a qualifying card from another US state that meets Reglamento 9038, is required. Out-of-state cards are recognized with conditions, so call the dispensario first and ask what it can sell on that card.
- No public use. Ley 42-2017 prohibits medical use in public places.
- No smoking. Ley 42-2017 bans smoking cannabis outright, for every patient.
- No leaving the island with it. Reglamento 9038 prohibits taking medical cannabis from Puerto Rico to any other jurisdiction.
For every licensed dispensario we track, start at the dispensary directory. For what's on this season, see events.
FAQ
What new dispensaries opened in Puerto Rico in 2026?
The one with a dated public opening is Dulce Vida, at 55 Calle Brema in San Juan, in October 2026. The JRCM's October 2026 directory also lists 14 dispensary licenses issued in 2025 or 2026, including Dulce Vida's; call before visiting any of the others.
Is Puerto Rico issuing new dispensary licenses?
Yes, in most of the island. Resolution 2026-001, signed March 4, 2026, reopened dispensary applications in 60 of 78 municipalities. The other 18 stay closed to new applicants through February 28, 2027.
How many dispensaries are in Puerto Rico?
The JRCM's 2026 market study counts just over 300 active dispensaries at the end of 2025, down from about 330 at the 2023 peak.
Can tourists buy at a new dispensary in Puerto Rico?
Only as registered patients. A qualifying medical cannabis card from another US state can be recognized under Reglamento 9038, with conditions; otherwise a Puerto Rico patient registration is required.
How do I check if a dispensario is licensed in Puerto Rico?
Look it up in the Directorio de establecimientos con licencia on the JRCM page at salud.pr.gov/CMS/364. The directory is updated periodically and lists each licensee's address and phone.
