Applications for a variety of Massachusetts canna-businesses are now open including craft cooperatives, micro-businesses, transporters, independent testing laboratories, and lab agents, the Boston Business Journal reports. According to the report, 312 applications have already been submitted to the Cannabis Control Commission, but just 25 have completed at least one part of the four-part process.
The agency is still reviewing priority certification applicants. The CCC received some 813 applications by last month’s deadline, but 400 of those were reportedly incomplete. So far, 66 social-equity applicants have been approved for priority certification and 80 medical cannabis operators have been approved to operate under the recreational regime. Transporters were expected to begin applying on June 1; however, CCC Executive Director Sean Collins indicated the CCC decided to include transporters in the current round of applications. He expects the number of applications to increase “pretty dramatically.”
Adult-use cannabis sales are expected to begin in Massachusetts July 1. Collins said that the application process has “launched successfully.” Once implemented, Massachusetts will become the first New England state to allow recreational cannabis sales.
Maine and Vermont have also passed legislation to allow adult cannabis use. Although Vermont’s legislature-approved law does not provide for a taxed-and-regulated industry and Maine’s governor has twice vetoed recreational implementation bills.