Tag Archives: marijuana shops

With July 1st now fully in the rear-view mirror, we thought it would be a good time to update you on the latest developments at the Cannabis Control Commission.  Earlier this month, the Commission approved two final retail licences for businesses in Northampton and Leicester.  These represent the very first final adult-use retail licenses awarded in the Commonwealth.  With this, Massachusetts residents should expect adult-use retail shops to open to the public within a matter of weeks. … More

Liquor stores are moving to gain a foothold in the Commonwealth’s new cannabis market. Last month, the Massachusetts Package Store Association (MPSA) agreed to support members that will apply for licenses to sell recreational marijuana. The unanimous board vote by the MPSA, which represents hundreds of liquor stores in the state, reflects the growing interest among alcohol retailers to enter the billion-dollar local market. And coming from an industry that fears losing a hefty market share to recreational pot,… More

Last week, Westborough became the first municipality in Massachusetts to opt out of the future recreational marijuana industry. The town’s residents, the majority of whom opposed the adult use referendum in November, voted 1,192 to 294, slamming the door on commercial cannabis establishments.

The statewide ballot initiative, which passed by a 54 percent majority, allows disinclined localities to exercise this type of local control. Under the new law,… More

In the final days of 2016, Gov. Charlie Baker signed a bill delaying the opening of retail marijuana operations in Massachusetts by six months, from January to July 2018. The way the House and the Senate approved the delay—without public notice, public hearing or discussion during a lightly attended informal joint session—has garnered criticism from legalization advocates. Members of the Massachusetts Cannabis Reform Coalition and the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws stated the delay “flies in the face of the will of voters,” who approved the legalization of recreational marijuana by ballot question in November.… More