Massachusetts’ Cannabis Control Commission has approved draft regulations for the forthcoming recreational cannabis industry, including rules for cannabis clubs and potential licenses specifically for research, according to a WCVB5 report. The regulations are not final and require public comment before gaining final approvals.
What else is included? Rules allow home-delivery, but require positive identification that the buyer is 21-years-old or older and that they sign for deliveries. The research license would allow a facility to cultivate and purchase cannabis but not sell it. Human testing could be considered on individuals 21-and-older if approved by a review board. The rules also include equity provisions to ensure industry opportunities are available to communities targeted by the War on Drugs – specifically residents of minority neighborhoods.
Municipalities in California – Los Angeles, Oakland, and San Francisco – include similar provisions. Similar provisions in Ohio’s regulations have led to a lawsuit from a rejected cultivation applicant, claiming the provisions run afoul of the state Constitution’s equal protection clause. Lawmakers in Maryland are also considering adding 10 new cultivation and processor licenses for minority business owners.
Jim Borghesani, spokesman for Yes on 4 campaign: “While we have a few minor changes we’d like to see, including removing the requirement for delivery recipients to provide signatures and the requirement for license applicants to hold mandated public hearings, we commend the commission for putting together a strong, sensible package of regulations.”
Legal cannabis sales are set to begin in Massachusetts July 1.
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