SHANNON O’BRIEN, the former state treasurer and newly appointed chair of the Cannabis Control Commission, is not a novice to cannabis. O’Brien worked as a consultant for two marijuana companies […]
Legal marijuana
Posted inDrugs, Marijuana, Politics
Healey says her prior cannabis concerns may have been ‘unnecessary’
IT WAS NOVEMBER 2016, days before Massachusetts voters would legalize recreational marijuana. Attorney General Maura Healey stood in front of the State House at a rally with health care professionals […]
Posted inMarijuana
Some advice for crafting final cannabis reform bill
AFTER YEARS OF ADVOCACY by community members, entrepreneurs, Cannabis Control Commissioners, and lawmakers, the Legislature is finally on the verge of passing comprehensive cannabis reform legislation that will help deliver […]
Posted inMarijuana
Lawmakers move closer to addressing nagging cannabis questions
THE MASSACHUSETTS HOUSE took a major step Wednesday toward improving equity in the cannabis industry, passing a bill similar to one previously passed by the Senate that would create a […]
Posted inThe Download
Hoffman’s abrupt exit at cannabis commission remains a mystery
The Cannabis Control Commission is at an inflection point, with all five of the state’s original marijuana regulators having moved on. “Today marks a significant moment for all of us […]
Posted inUncategorized
Hoffman’s abrupt exit at cannabis commission remains a mystery
THE CANNABIS CONTROL COMMISSION is at an inflection point, with all five of the state’s original marijuana regulators having moved on. “Today marks a significant moment for all of us […]
Posted inRace/Racism
No easy glide path for Black marijuana CEOs
BLACK AND LATINO men were disproportionately incarcerated for decades for drug-related offenses. But when it comes to participating in the emerging legal marijuana industry, only 4 percent of cannabis company […]
Posted inUncategorized
Senate passes a marijuana equity bill
THE MASSACHUSETTS SENATE on Thursday passed a bill that takes significant steps toward helping minority entrepreneurs and those affected by prior enforcement of drug laws break into the legal marijuana […]
Posted inThe Download
Defense lawyer dismisses Baker marijuana bill as ‘junk science’
Gov. Charlie Baker has been pushing for legislation he says would give “law enforcement more tools to keep our roads safe from impaired drivers.” John Amabile, president of the […]
Posted inUncategorized
Defense lawyer dismisses Baker marijuana bill as ‘junk science’
GOV. CHARLIE BAKER has been pushing for legislation he says would give “law enforcement more tools to keep our roads safe from impaired drivers.” John Amabile, president of the […]
Posted inUncategorized
Marijuana industry ‘fixes’ moving in the Legislature
A COMPREHENSIVE BILL that would address several major problems that marijuana regulators and industry experts have pinpointed in the legal cannabis industry is starting to move in the Legislature. The Joint Committee on […]
Posted inOpinion
Mass. falling behind on marijuana equity mandate
AFTER MASSACHUSETTS voters legalized adult-use cannabis in 2016, the Legislature made history as the first in the nation to require full participation in the regulated industry by individuals who were harmed by […]
Posted inState House News Service, Uncategorized
Marijuana sales averaging nearly $106m per month
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE THROUGH EIGHT MONTHS of 2021, recreational marijuana retailers in Massachusetts have sold more than $140 million more in products than they did throughout the entirety of […]
Posted inOpinion
How to achieve social equity in the cannabis industry
TO ITS CREDIT, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts has emerged as a national leader in the ongoing work to inject equity into the nascent cannabis sector. Many elected leaders have long […]
Posted inUncategorized
Minority marijuana businesses seek state-backed capital
ALL THE STATE’S social equity programs are worth nothing if entrepreneurs of color cannot access the money they need to start a business. That was the message from marijuana entrepreneurs – and […]
Posted inUncategorized
Home delivery of marijuana starting next week
NEXT WEEK, Freshly Baked Company in Taunton will make history when it begins delivering marijuana-infused gummies to any adult purchaser near Taunton. It will be the first time members of the public […]
Posted inUncategorized
State regulators weigh how to expand hemp sales
WHEN THE STATE budget passed in December, lawmakers tucked into it a provision meant to be a lifeline for struggling hemp farmers in Massachusetts, allowing farmers to sell their products […]
Posted inThe Download
Brownie bites and espresso chocolate, with a kick
If you see a red raspberry hard lozenge in distinctive red and yellow packaging, it was likely sold at a NETA marijuana store and is infused with 50 mg of […]
Posted inUncategorized
Brownie bites and espresso chocolate, with a kick
IF YOU SEE a red raspberry hard lozenge in distinctive red and yellow packaging, it was likely sold at a NETA marijuana store and is infused with 50 mg of […]
Posted inOpinion
3% cannabis impact fee covers costs that don’t exist
IN 2017, Massachusetts lawmakers revised the cannabis legalization ballot measure approved by voters the year before. They made improvements, such as expanding the Cannabis Control Commission from three members to […]
Posted inOpinion
Support black-owned cannabis shop in Harvard Square
WE WERE THRILLED to hear about the proposal for a black-owned cannabis dispensary in Harvard Square. The location is highly suitable and the venture will be a boon for the […]
Posted inUncategorized
Northampton drops fee on marijuana companies
MARIJUANA COMPANY officials have long complained about the excessive fees imposed by communities statewide. Now, one marijuana-friendly city is going in the opposite direction. Northampton recently decided to waive the […]
Posted inUncategorized
Marijuana companies withdraw from trade association over delivery lawsuit
SEVERAL LARGE cannabis companies have withdrawn their membership from the Commonwealth Dispensary Association due to a lawsuit the trade association filed opposing the state’s new marijuana delivery regulations. The companies […]
Posted inThe Download
How to diversify the medical marijuana industry
Massachusetts marijuana regulators have done yeoman’s work to diversify the cannabis industry, taking numerous steps to ensure that small and minority-owned businesses have an opportunity to enter the legal marijuana […]
