Here’s when social cannabis license rules could be finalized in Massachusetts

The social consumption regulations that were initially rolled out in December have already changed some, the Cannabis Control Commission’s acting chairman said Tuesday.

By Colin A. Young •
Published 23 mins ago •
Updated 23 mins ago

The Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission’s plan for launching establishments where adults could use legal cannabis in a social setting is on track to be finalized by the end of next month, but the commission chairman stressed Tuesday that none of the draft under discussion is set in stone.

The CCC embarked Tuesday to work through “discussion on a number of policy questions” that Acting Chairman Bruce Stebbins said are intended to provide greater direction for the working group that has been crafting regulations for so-called social consumption licenses.

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He said Tuesday’s meeting will lead to “an updated framework and draft regulations for us to consider” with a final draft of the regulations expected to be back before commissioners “toward the last week of July.”

“As a reminder and a message that I have certainly stressed to stakeholders that I have talked to, nothing in this draft form to start the promulgation process is a fait accompli, or baked-in part of the framework that cannot be amended,” he said. “Our work here today is intended to answer some bigger policy questions that will guide some of the changes for all of us to come back and consider at the end of July to start the promulgation process. I’m kind of looking forward to, I guess, geeking out a little bit on the policy conversations today.”

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Stebbins said the social consumption regulations that were initially rolled out in December have already changed some. He said commissioners have made a decision to not incorporate initially-proposed rules allowing medical marijuana patients to receive or take delivery of medical products at a social consumption lounge based on “seemingly a lack of support for this part of the framework and concern by possible licensees.”

“To make that portion workable, we took that out,” Stebbins said.

Allowing adults to use marijuana in public social settings was part of the 2016 ballot law that legalized non-medical marijuana, and the CCC planned to include social consumption sites in its initial 2018 launch of the legal industry before it bowed to pressure from Beacon Hill to focus on the retail rollout first.

The framework rolled out by CCC members in December calls for three social consumption license types: a “supplemental” license for existing marijuana establishments like retail stores and cultivation facilities that want to offer their customers the ability to consume products purchased on-site, a “hospitality” license category that would allow for on-site consumption at new or existing non-cannabis businesses like yoga studios or theaters, and an “event organizer” license category that would allow for temporary on-site consumption at events like rallies and festivals.