Glossary of Terms

A commonly accepted measure of market concentration used by the U.S. Department of Justice and Federal Trade Commission to evaluate mergers and acquisitions. The HHI is calculated by squaring the market share of each firm competing in the market and then summing the resulting numbers.

A measure of statistical dispersion intended to represent the inequality of a distribution. Originally developed to measure income inequality, it's equally applicable to measuring market share inequality. A Gini coefficient of 0 represents perfect equality (all firms have equal share), while 1 represents maximum inequality (one firm has everything).

The concentration ratio measures the combined market share of the largest firms in an industry. CR4 represents the market share held by the four largest firms; CR8 represents the eight largest. These ratios are simpler than HHI but provide quick insight into market structure.

The ratio of the market leader's share to the second-place firm's share. This metric captures whether a single firm dominates the market versus having competitive leadership among top players. A ratio of 1.0 means the top two firms are equal; higher ratios indicate increasing dominance by the leader.

Measures how much market share changes hands between firms over time. High mobility indicates a dynamic, competitive market where firms can gain or lose share. Low mobility may indicate high barriers to entry, regulatory capture, or tacit collusion that prevents competitive dynamics.

A Florida-licensed entity authorized to cultivate, process, and dispense medical marijuana to qualified patients. MMTCs operate under a vertical integration model, meaning they must control the entire supply chain from cultivation to retail sale. Florida law caps the number of MMTC licenses and ties additional dispensary locations to patient population thresholds.

A business model where a single company controls multiple stages of production and distribution. In Florida's medical marijuana program, MMTCs must be vertically integrated—they must cultivate, process, and dispense their own products. This requirement creates high barriers to entry and has been criticized for limiting competition and favoring well-capitalized operators.

Florida law ties the number of dispensary locations each MMTC can operate to the statewide qualified patient count. For every 100,000 qualified patients, each MMTC is allowed 4 additional dispensary locations. This creates a formula where patient growth directly enables retail expansion.

A Florida resident who has been diagnosed with a qualifying medical condition by a qualified physician and has been entered into the Medical Marijuana Use Registry. Qualifying conditions include cancer, epilepsy, glaucoma, HIV/AIDS, PTSD, ALS, Crohn's disease, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, and other debilitating conditions of similar severity.

The division within the Florida Department of Health responsible for regulating the state's medical marijuana program. OMMU licenses MMTCs, maintains the patient registry, publishes weekly dispensing reports, and enforces compliance with state regulations.

A 2016 Florida constitutional amendment that legalized medical marijuana, passing with 71% of the vote. Amendment 2 expanded the list of qualifying conditions, established the framework for MMTCs, and directed the Department of Health to regulate the program. It followed a failed 2014 attempt (Amendment 2 of 2014, which received 58% but needed 60% to pass).

A secure, electronic database maintained by the Florida Department of Health that tracks all qualified patients, their caregivers, qualified physicians, and dispensing transactions. Physicians must enter patient certifications into the registry before patients can purchase medical marijuana, and all dispensing is logged in real-time.

Florida law limits patients to a 70-day supply of medical marijuana. The amount that constitutes a "70-day supply" varies by route of administration and is set by the physician's order. For smokable marijuana, patients are limited to 2.5 ounces per 35-day period. These limits are tracked in the registry to prevent over-dispensing.

The methods by which medical marijuana can be consumed. Florida recognizes multiple routes: smoking (flower), vaporization, sublingual (under the tongue), oral (edibles, capsules), topical (creams, patches), and suppository. Physicians specify which routes are appropriate for each patient, and products are categorized by their intended route.

The primary psychoactive compound in cannabis responsible for the "high" sensation. In Florida's program, THC content is measured in milligrams (mg) and tracked across all dispensed products including oils, edibles, and flower. Total THC dispensed is used as a proxy for overall market volume and market share calculations.

A non-psychoactive compound in cannabis used for therapeutic purposes including pain relief, anxiety reduction, and seizure control. CBD products are tracked separately from THC in Florida's dispensing reports, measured in milligrams.

The dried, cured cannabis buds intended for smoking or vaporization. Florida legalized smokable marijuana in 2019 after a legal challenge. Flower is measured in ounces (oz) and tracked separately from other product forms. It typically represents a significant portion of total sales volume.

The act of providing medical marijuana products to a qualified patient at a licensed dispensary. All dispensing transactions are logged in the state registry and reported weekly by OMMU. This data forms the basis for market analysis and regulatory oversight.

The percentage of total market volume controlled by a single firm. In this dashboard, market share is calculated using THC (mg) as the primary volume metric: an MMTC's market share = (MMTC's THC dispensed ÷ Total THC dispensed statewide) × 100.

A measure of how much THC volume each dispensary location generates on average. Calculated as total THC dispensed divided by number of locations. Higher efficiency may indicate better location selection, stronger brand, or more effective operations. However, very high efficiency with few locations may also indicate artificial scarcity.

A comparison of a metric's current value to the same period one year prior. YOY growth rates help identify trends while controlling for seasonal variations. Calculated as: ((Current Value - Prior Year Value) ÷ Prior Year Value) × 100.

The speed at which a new market entrant grows their business after launching. Measured by tracking THC volume growth in the first 12 weeks, 6 months, or 1 year after first dispensing. Fast ramp-up may indicate strong execution, favorable market conditions, or pre-existing brand recognition.