The Washington Times’ Tom Howell reports that hopefuls for licenses to run the five medical marijuana dispensaries in the District will have until October 31 to get their applications in. Some 60 potential applicants were pre-approved by the D.C. Department of Health in September.

Once all the applications are in, they’ll be judged by a five-person committee on a number of factors, including proposed security plans and ANC input. Dispensaries will be able to give qualifying patients up to two ounces of marijuana a month.

The application process for the 10 cultivation centers that will supply the medical marijuana for the program ran through September. City officials expect the whole program to be operational by mid-2012, but renewed threats on dispensaries in California could well have a chilling effect locally.