Bureaucratic delays in the Massachusetts medical marijuana program have driven away some investors, leaving some companies awarded dispensary licenses short on cash and patients in limbo.

Twenty provisional dispensary licenses were awarded by the administration of former Gov. Deval Patrick in January 2014, but regulators froze the process amid questions about applicants' finances, misrepresentations, and political influence.

New Gov. Charlie Baker's administration is expected to revamp the program.

The Boston Globe reports that uncertainties have pushed back openings of the first dispensaries, originally expected last summer, to this summer, with some owners now saying they are unlikely to be ready until late this year.

Meanwhile, 14,000 patients have received doctor certifications to use marijuana medicinally, and 7,100 of them have completed the state's registration process.