A clarification has been added to this story. TITO JACKSON hopes to someday turn his marijuana dispensary, Apex Noire, into a place where guests can listen to poetry and music while enjoying cannabis-infused foods and other products on his facility’s roof deck. But for now Jackson’s dream is just that – a dream. “We are […]
Legal marijuana
Posted inState Government
O’Brien sues treasurer over her suspension
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE SHANNON O’BRIEN, the former state treasurer and Democratic nominee for governor, filed a lawsuit Thursday accusing Treasurer Deborah Goldberg of unlawfully removing her as chairwoman of the Cannabis Control Commission. The lawsuit, filed in Suffolk Superior Court, is the latest sign of upheaval around the agency that oversees the state’s legal […]
Posted inState Government
Treasurer suspends cannabis commission chair
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE CANNABIS CONTROL Commission Chairwoman Shannon O’Brien was suspended from her position by Treasurer Deborah Goldberg, who chose her for the job a year ago, as upheaval continues to collide with the CCC’s hefty regulatory and policy responsibilities. Goldberg’s office did not say why the treasurer put the O’Brien on a paid […]
Posted inMarijuana
O’Brien apologizes for handling of last CCC meeting
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE THE CHAIRWOMAN of the Cannabis Control Commission apologized to her fellow commissioners Thursday for any “angst” or “confusion” she caused at their last meeting when she unexpectedly announced the agency’s executive director was leaving and that the CCC was in “crisis.” Chairwoman Shannon O’Brien announced at a July 28 meeting that Executive Director […]
Posted inMicrophilanthropy
Testing lab executive slams marijuana regulators
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE EACH PERSON who testified before the Joint Committee on Cannabis Policy on Tuesday got three minutes to make their case. But the founder and CEO of one of the first laboratories approved to test marijuana in Massachusetts probably could have gone on for hours telling lawmakers about the issues he has […]
Posted inOpinion
Tracing the LGBTQ+ origins of legal cannabis
EVERY JUNE, rainbow flags are flown in solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community. The colors light up buildings and landmarks, and companies from all sectors market products that celebrate Pride Month. While cannabis companies are no exception, they align much more authentically with Pride than others because of their deep connection to one another as long-time […]
Posted inMarijuana, State Government
Cannabis licensing snafu over O’Brien much ado about nothing
THE CANNABIS Control Commission unanimously approved a final license for Greenfield Greenery on Thursday, resolving a months-long delay resulting from questions about whether Commission Chair Shannon O’Brien properly removed herself from ownership of the company. A commission investigation concluded that O’Brien and Greenfield Greenery both did everything properly in removing O’Brien from her ownership position. […]
Posted inMarijuana
Plummeting prices destabilize Mass. marijuana market
ON A RECENT DAY, a Brockton customer looking for some marijuana could have bought one-eighth of an ounce of LA Kush Cake flower for just $20 at Commonwealth Alternative Care. Nearby, Legal Greens was advertising one-eighth of an ounce of Jet Fuel flower for $25, according to the marijuana marketing website Leafly. The prices are […]
Posted inMarijuana, State Government
Board named for social equity marijuana loan fund
THE BOARD that will oversee the state’s new fund to help social equity cannabis businesses will be comprised of a diverse group of individuals, who represent various segments of the industry that they hope to help. Appointments to the five-member board were finalized last week by then-Gov. Charlie Baker; then-Attorney General Maura Healey, who is now […]
Posted inThe Download
Lantern closure shakes marijuana delivery market
There’s another major shakeup coming in the already-struggling marijuana delivery industry, with the impending closure of one of the largest marketing websites in Massachusetts. Lantern, a website where consumers can go to order legal cannabis delivered from a local dispensary, announced Wednesday that it will shut down by the end of January, citing regulatory hurdles […]