By Abigail Royle 4/4/2018
Massachusetts voters chose to legalize recreational marijuana for adults 21 and older in November 2016. After a lengthy rule-making process, the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission started acceptin
g applications on Monday from businesses that want to sell recreational marijuana.
Right now, the only ones allowed to apply for licenses to sell recreational pot are medical marijuana dispensaries and “economic empowerment applicants,” defined as people from communities that have been disproportionately harmed by previous drug laws, said Steven Hoffman, chair of Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission. The application process will expand to others in the coming weeks.
Although the application process has begun, several issues remain before vendors can open up shop. One is finding communities willing to permit pot shops. “Most communities in the Commonwealth have yet to zone for recreational or adult use cannabis,” said Michael Dundas, an associate of Sira Naturals which is a dispensary that grows and sells medical marijuana.
Right now, July 1st is the target date for vendors to start selling recreational marijuana to adults.
The Cannabis Commission will start issuing licenses on June 1, and vendors can begin selling recreational marijuana to adults 21 and older on July 1.