For some, cannabis cafes are long-overdue recreational spots for like-minded adults to gather and smoke weed. Some believe the cafes are just another way to lure drunk drivers onto the state's highways.
For more than seven years, state regulators have been trying to figure out the best way to allow cannabis consumption facilities, including cannabis cafes, to open in Massachusetts. The Cannabis Control Commission considered a pilot program with 12 communities, but decided last year to abandon this approach.
“Regulators will control establishments where adults can use marijuana together in social settings by the end of this year, more than seven years after the Cannabis Control Board began wrestling with cannabis regulations,” the state Legislature News Service said. We hope to present an updated framework of regulations.” problem. “
SHNS said the CCC will consult with Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey, Attorney General Andrea Campbell, Treasury Secretary Deborah Goldberg and “other key stakeholders.”
Massachusetts cannabis consumption location remains in limbo
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Massachusetts voters approved a ballot initiative in 2016 that legalized adult-use marijuana and legalized the establishment of so-called cannabis cafes. Some liken the cafe concept to a barroom.
CCC is considering a $500,000 public awareness campaign, training for frontline workers, and outreach to local governments.
Marijuana consumption lounges are legal in 14 states, including Massachusetts. Cannabis Creative said Massachusetts is the only state among 14 states that “doesn't have an implementation plan in place.”
According to Statista.com, Massachusetts has one of the highest percentages of adult marijuana users at 29.74%. Only Vermont, the District of Columbia, Oregon, Alaska, and Washington had higher rates than Massachusetts.
25 Best Names for Cannabis Shops in Massachusetts
Gallery credit: Ginny Rogers
WBSM Top Stories 9/23 – 9/29
These are the top stories in New Bedford and across the South Coast for the week of September 23, 2024. Click on the photo or title to read the full story.
Gallery credit: Tim Weisberg
