It’s official: voters will face nine statewide ballot questions, tying the record last reached in 1994, and the list will include whether to undo recreational cannabis legalization.
Marijuana
Posted inBallot Questions
Pro-cannabis campaign plans to counter ‘stuffy dudes’ with the grassroots
The Stop the Repeal campaign will rely on grassroots efforts to encourage Bay Staters to “vote no” against the ballot measure funded by “out-of-state” interests, said chair Ryan Dominguez, the executive director of the Massachusetts Cannabis Coalition.
Posted inState Government
Regulators adopt emergency rules tied to new cannabis law
The regulations specify that for the first 12 months they’re in place, only social equity businesses are eligible to get up to six retail licenses and non-social equity businesses can hold up to five retail licenses.
Posted inState Government
New CCC chair flags internal operations as ‘critically important’
Chris Harding, who Gov. Maura Healey tapped to lead the CCC in May, said during a meeting Thursday that his priorities for the role include engaging with staff and understanding their focuses as well as the agency’s organizational challenges and opportunities.
Posted inCourts
SJC keeps recreational marijuana repeal in the mix for November
The first of four expected rulings about ballot question eligibility went in favor of the campaign, with justices deciding that a push to reverse the 2016 statewide pot vote was properly certified and summarized.
Posted inPolitics
Often at odds, Mariano and Spilka united by ballot question frustration
As the Legislature prepares to review 11 ballot questions with major policymaking implications, the top two Democrats came together to complain that the process is “fraught with peril.”
Posted inMarijuana
Social pot consumption vote could come by Christmas
Chair Shannon O’Brien offered the latest timeline at the end of a meeting on Friday, as commissioners also learned that a new member, Carrie Benedon, is joining the commission.
Posted inMarijuana
Back for another term: Bruce Stebbins on his reappointment to the cannabis commission and his vision for the coming five years
“We continue to be a place that people want to come and work,” said Bruce Stebbins, acting chair of the Cannabis Control Commission in a Q&A about his reappointment to the board.
Posted inMarijuana
Cannabis commission plans to launch social consumption in October
“I obviously appreciate that we’re a little behind…the schedule that we laid out last December, but I still think we’re making great progress,” said Bruce Stebbins, acting chair of the cannabis commission, about a delay on social consumption regulations.
Posted inMarijuana
Deep divide: The cannabis industry remains split over how many dispensaries a single business should own
“Meeting with equity licensees, I heard overwhelmingly from them in large numbers that they’re highly concerned about the bill out of the house to raise the license cap,” said Kimberly Roy, a member of the Cannabis Control Commission.
Posted inMarijuana
Cannabis commission remains short-handed as the agency works on social consumption and other pressing issues
The Cannabis Control Commission is down to just 3 members, with no timeline for appointing a new chair or commissioner with big decisions – including social consumption rules – ahead.
Posted inMarijuana
Cannabis commission, elected leaders out of sync on budget ask
“You’ve got plenty of money. Stop the nonsense and start figuring it out and start rolling up your sleeves,” said Rep. Michael Soter in response to the Cannabis Control Commission’s ask for more money.
Posted inMarijuana
Legislators are pushing for more forceful action on intoxicating hemp-derived products
With an uneven crackdown on hemp-derived products, which contain the same active ingredient as cannabis but are not regulated the same way, legislators are looking to put the Cannabis Control Commission in charge.
Posted inMarijuana
Legislators consider 8 bills to increase cap on cannabis dispensary ownership
Eight bills in this legislative session seek to increase the number of dispensaries or cannabis establishments that any one business can own, but nearly 60 cannabis industry leaders and business owners have come together to oppose the push to increase the cap.
Posted inMarijuana
Mass. inspector general calls on cannabis regulators to conduct an audit over $550,000 in uncollected fees
MASSACHUSETTS INSPECTOR GENERAL Jeffrey Shapiro called on the Cannabis Control Commission to conduct an audit following the commission’s failure to collect approximately $550,000 in licensing fees since August 2022. In […]
Posted inMarijuana
Cannabis commission punts on long-term decision to keep cannabis delivery exclusive to social equity businesses
Cannabis commission extends period in which cannabis delivery licenses are only available to social equity businesses by a year but is punting on decision of whether to extend it further until the agency can collect more data.
Posted inMarijuana
Massachusetts cannabis industry struggles with diversity in senior leadership despite equity mandates
A lack of diversity persists at the senior leadership level in the cannabis industry, and industry leaders are calling on the commission to enforce diversity goals.
Posted inMarijuana
Regulators take aim at ‘wild west’ of cannabis host community agreements
State regulators tackle “wild west” of municipalities trying to squeeze as much money as possible out of cannabis companies but industry leaders say that it is “two years too late.”
Posted inState Government
Redacted filing sheds some light on O’Brien firing
A REDACTED COPY of Treasurer Deborah Goldberg’s decision to fire Shannon O’Brien as chair of the Cannabis Control Commission was filed in court this week, but the treasurer is asking […]
Posted inMarijuana
Cannabis Control Commission unveils new rules for social consumption
After a years-long wait, the Cannabis Control Commission has presented a new regulatory framework for getting social consumption for cannabis up and running in the state but without an executive director, the road ahead remains uncertain.
Posted inState Government
Fight between Goldberg, O’Brien heading to court
O’Brien’s attorney said on Tuesday that she plans to challenge the firing in court, a move that is likely to prolong chaos at the commission and bring all the messy details of the agency into public view.
Posted inMarijuana
Goldberg in difficult spot on O’Brien decision
It’s an unprecedented situation. Goldberg has spent close to $750,000 in taxpayer dollars on legal fees during the fight with O’Brien and O’Brien has probably spent a similar amount or more on private attorneys. O’Brien has also continued to collect her $196,551 annual salary during her suspension.
Posted inMarijuana
Cannabis commissioner pushing for forensic audit of agency
Forensic audits typically examine an organization’s financial records and look for fraud, misconduct, or irregularities
