One hundred and fifty-eight of 181 applicants are moving on the second round of medical marijuana dispensary approval, Boston.com reports.

During the initial stage, applicants were reviewed for “non-profit status, financial viability and compliance with other application requirements,” according to the report by Boston.com. Those who did not meet the requirements were denied.

The deadline for initial applications was Aug. 22.

A selection committee will judge the remaining 158 applications based on appropriateness, range of distribution, and public safety, among other criteria, once the next batch of applications are in.

Last fall, voters approved the establishment of 35 non-profit dispensaries in Massachusetts. No more than five will be allowed per county.

Boston Magazine reports that, despite high voter-approval for legalized medicinal marijuana, it may be difficult for businesses to prove to the health department that a dispensary meets all municipal rules, regulations, ordinances and bylaws — a necessary step in the approval process. Recently, moratoriums have been put in place to slow dispensary development.

Attorney General Martha Coakley wants to cut these moratoriums off by December 2014, Boston Magazine reports.

The health department is scheduled to hold a meeting for remaining applicants on Thursday, Oct. 10, at 1 p.m. at the Holiday Inn in Somerville.

Photo from masslive.com