Massachusetts Regulators Give Green Light to Social Marijuana Use
In a major milestone for the state’s cannabis industry, the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission (CCC) has approved draft regulations allowing for the use of marijuana in social settings, including events and establishments. The new framework aims to provide legal locations for marijuana consumption, particularly for tourists and renters who are prohibited from smoking in their apartments.
The regulations will permit three types of social consumption licenses: supplemental licenses for existing marijuana establishments, hospitality licenses for non-cannabis businesses, and event organizer licenses for temporary events. To ensure public safety, the regulations will require establishments to have a transportation plan in place for consumers who may not be safe to drive home.
For the first five years, licenses will only be available to applicants who qualify for the CCC’s social equity or economic empowerment programs, microbusinesses, and craft marijuana cooperatives. The commission hopes to hear from as many people as possible during the public comment period, which will begin once the regulations are filed with the secretary of state’s office.
The CCC’s acting chair, Bruce Stebbins, hailed the development as a “monumental day” for the Massachusetts adult-use cannabis industry. Commissioner Ava Callender Concepcion noted that the regulations represent a “meaningful step forward” in fulfilling the commission’s mission to create a more equitable cannabis industry.
The regulations have been in the works since December, and the CCC spent multiple days reviewing and revising the draft. The commission made several changes to the event organizer license type, including requiring local permits and limiting event sales to no more than 24 single days in a calendar year.
The new regulations also eliminate the requirement for marijuana business employees to maintain separate CCC-approved badges for each company they work for. Additionally, establishments will be allowed to sell pre-packaged, shelf-stable, and cannabis-free food and drink items.
The CCC will accept written public comments and host a public hearing in the coming weeks to enable people to weigh in on the regulations. After reviewing comments, the commission is expected to reconvene to vote on final regulations this fall.
