Months of controversy and bureaucratic delays in the Massachusetts medical marijuana program have driven away some investors, stranding several of the companies awarded the first dispensary licenses and leaving them short on cash.

The uncertainty and mounting costs have pushed back the opening 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.

The delay leaves thousands of patients in limbo. State figures show roughly 14,000 patients have received doctor certifications to use marijuana medicinally, and 7,100 of them have completed the state’s registration process, paying their $50 annual fee to legally shop in the dispensaries.

“It’s despicable,” said Nichole Snow, deputy director of the Massachusetts Patient Advocacy Alliance. “We need our medicine for relief from serious conditions. [Read more at the Boston Globe]