Last week, the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission unveiled the proposed regulatory framework for the social consumption of marijuana. The state legalized the social consumption of marijuana in 2016, via the same ballot measure that legalized the recreational use of the drug.
Initially, the commission had planned to implement regulations for social consumption in 2018. This was stalled following pressure from critics but now, a few years later, the plan is going into motion.
The recently proposed framework has three different types of licenses;
- An event organizer license, which covers the consumption of marijuana at events like festivals that are held for five days or less
- A hospitality license for on-site consumption of the drug at existing or new non-marijuana businesses like theaters, cafes, and yoga studios
- A supplemental license that will allow existing cannabis businesses to add something like a tasting room for individuals to consume marijuana they purchase on site in.
Under these regulations, marijuana and alcohol cannot be consumed in the same space.
The importance of ventilation is also stressed, with every social consumption space being required to provide customers with a menu about the marijuana products being sold as well as a separate menu that doesn’t have items with marijuana. The marijuana menu is expected to declare the THC amounts of each product.
With regard to marijuana delivery licenses, the consumption license will be available solely to social equity applicants at the state.
While the above is good progress, the lack of an executive director for the commission means that a lot remains uncertain. The former director, Sean Collins, vacated the position in December 2023. The position was then offered to former head of government affairs at the agency, David Lakeman, who is said to have declined the offer.
The commission’s acting chair, Bruce Stebbins, cautioned that some obstacles needed to be overcome before social consumption could commence in the state.
Still, the objective of the commission remains to get the regulations published by mid next-year. This will give the executive director of the commission as well as staff enough time to develop applications, training, and guidance materials for the above licenses. The actual language of these rule changes will be announced on December 17th.
Former city councilor of Boston, Tito Jackson, explained that the framework drew the interest of business owners like himself by presenting a good opportunity to increase attractiveness and competitiveness while also strengthening business’ bottom lines. Jackson, who owns Apex Noire, added that the social consumption of marijuana would normalize the marijuana industry, which was greatly contributing to the state’s bottom line.
As more states implement marijuana social consumption site policies, a time could come when all the markets in which companies like TerrAscend Corp. (TSX: TSND) (OTCQX: TSNDF) look to expand into will have these policies in place.
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