Once upon a time, Worcester had been forecast to be the cannabis capital of Massachusetts, as its number of licenses grew. The state’s industry regulators even moved their headquarters from Boston to the state’s second largest city. But now, a different city an hour’s drive west of Worcester — and 90 minutes from Boston — […]
Massachusetts
Maine’s Residency Requirement Waiver in Light of New England’s Licensing Regulations
When states decide to legalize cannabis in some way, they must consider whether only state residents will be allowed to obtain cannabis business licenses. In 2016, Massachusetts and Maine became the first two New England states to legalize adult use cannabis. While adult use is legal in Vermont, the state has yet to pass legislation […]
The Resilience of the Massachusetts Adult-Use Marijuana Market
Now in July 2020, two months into the reopening of the Massachusetts adult use marijuana industry, it is time to take a step back and look at the numbers. The second adult use retail store in Boston opened this past Monday, adding to the 16 others that have opened throughout the Commonwealth since the state’s […]
Massachusetts Pot Shops Reopen; Customers Line Up For Curbside Marijuana Pickup
Long lines formed outside some Massachusetts pot shops Monday as recreational marijuana retailers were allowed to reopen for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic forced them to close in March. Customers can now order in advance and pick up their purchases curbside. A long line of cars wrapped around the parking lot outside Solar […]
Six MA patients with lung illness linked to regulated marijuana vapes, state says
Six Massachusetts patients with probable — but not confirmed — cases of vaping-related lung illnesses reported using regulated products from state-licensed marijuana companies, state health officials revealed Thursday night. The patients represent a small fraction of the 90 probable and confirmed cases of vaping-related lung illnesses flagged so far by the state Department of Public […]
Massachusetts regulators quarantine medical vape products as ban expires
The state’s Cannabis Control Commission has quarantined medical marijuana vaping products as the state agency said it will seek to test the substances. The commission had indicated last week that it could order retail shops and dispensaries to quarantine products if Gov. Charlie Baker’s ban on medical marijuana vapes expired this week. On Tuesday the […]
First vaping-related death reported in Mass.
Massachusetts health officials on Monday revealed that a woman in her 60s from Hampshire County was the state’s first known vaping-related death, the latest victim in a nationwide outbreak of potentially fatal lung ailments apparently caused by the smoking products. An initial report indicated the woman vaped nicotine, according to the Department of Public Health, […]
Banking Evolution
The cannabis industry is evolving rapidly and so should your perception of banking. I recently attended the Second Annual State of the Cannabis Industry Conference, in Massachusetts. The event was organized by the cannabis law practice of Burns & Levinson and by Viridian Capital Advisors, a financial advisory firm dedicated to the cannabis industry, with […]
How High Are Recreational Marijuana Taxes in Your State?
As public opinion increasingly favors the legalization of recreational marijuana, a growing number of states must determine how to tax legal sales of cannabis. To date, nine states (Alaska, California, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Nevada, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington) and the District of Columbia have legalized recreational marijuana, but only eight of these jurisdictions have legal markets. […]
Massachusetts Begins Erecting Marijuana Regulatory Structure
BOSTON — The panel that will study and make recommendations on regulating marijuana in Massachusetts — the first piece of a growing regulatory structure — is on track to be finalized by the end of the week when the governor names the final five members. Treasurer Deborah Goldberg and Attorney General Maura Healey both made […]
