Massachusetts House Lawmakers Propose Controversial Cannabis Reform Bill
A recent proposal to restructure the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission has sparked controversy among small marijuana businesses, who claim it would allow big companies to dominate the market. The bill, which aims to address allegations of workplace toxicity, infighting, and regulatory delays, would reduce the commission from five members to three and give more governing power to its chair.
While some see the proposal as a step towards clarifying the commission’s role, others believe it contains provisions that would be detrimental to small businesses. One such provision would allow a single company to own up to six licenses, up from the current three-license cap.
Proponents of the cap, including former commissioner Shaleen Title and advocacy group Equitable Opportunities Now, argue that it has been a crucial factor in promoting small businesses and equity in the industry. Raising the cap, they claim, would give large, multi-state operators an unfair advantage and ultimately lead to the demise of small businesses.
Kevin Gilnack, deputy director of Equitable Opportunities Now, likened the proposal to a “Trojan horse,” saying that it is being packaged with popular provisions to distract from the negative impact on small businesses. “It’s a very obvious Trojan horse,” he stated.
Kobie Evans, co-owner of Pure Oasis, the first recreational cannabis dispensary to open in Boston, expressed similar concerns. He believes that the current license cap allows small businesses like his to compete, but that raising it would give larger operators an unfair advantage.
Not everyone in the industry is opposed to raising the cap, however. Ryan Dominguez, leader of the Massachusetts Cannabis Coalition, sees it as a compromise that would allow smaller businesses to merge and form larger companies with more buying power.
The bill also includes provisions that would allow customers to buy and possess more product, and loosen regulations for medical marijuana businesses. While these changes may provide some relief to struggling companies, they are not enough to sway some advocates who believe that the proposal is a step in the wrong direction.
Gilnack plans to urge members of the Senate cannabis policy committee to oppose lifting the cap, stating that most cannabis businesses would be better off if the Legislature did nothing.
