cannabis

The Massachusetts Cannabis Commission continues to be embroiled in controversy, from the suspension of its chairwoman to concerns that the body has not followed through on its regulatory promises and obligations to the promises made when the industry first launched in the state. The majority of people we contacted in the Massachusetts cannabis space said they do not believe the…

A Massachusetts judge will decide Tuesday morning whether a meeting between suspended Cannabis Control Commission Chairwoman Shannon O’Brien and Treasurer Deborah Goldberg scheduled for 1 p.m. Tuesday can go forward as planned. Superior Court Judge Debra Squires-Lee heard about 45 minutes of arguments Monday afternoon as the long-running drama unfolding between the former treasurer and current treasurer hit the courtroom…

Stunning court documents reveal new insight into the ongoing drama at the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission. It’s been a hot topic ever since Shannon O’Brien was suddenly suspended in September as chair of the commission by Massachusetts Treasurer Deborah Goldberg. Few details about the reasons for the suspension were ever known until now. O’Brien sued Goldberg, and court documents...

Ethos, a cannabis company that does business in Massachusetts, has appointed Gibran Washington as CEO – making him the first Black person to run a cannabis company of its type. The 39-year-old, former Hofstra University basketball standout, was promoted from within the company but spent much of his executive career in the restaurant industry. He embraces the ways he’s different…

Cannabis sales are up across Massachusetts, but the so-called “green rush” has cooled off.

“Several serious allegations” were made about the behavior of Cannabis Control Commission Chairwoman Shannon O’Brien, Massachusetts’ treasurer said Thursday, sharing new details about what led to her suspending O’Brien, who has filed a lawsuit over the suspension. O’Brien, the former state treasurer and Democratic nominee for governor, filed a lawsuit Thursday accusing Goldberg of unlawfully removing her as chairwoman...

As the Cannabis Control Commission comes under fire over governance issues, industry entrepreneurs are finding creative ways to work around delayed regulations in Massachusetts. The agency that oversees the multi-billion-dollar industry is in the middle of a major policy overhaul, which comes days after the state treasurer suspended the head of the commission without explanation. A group of lawmakers is…

Cannabis Control Commission Chairwoman Shannon O’Brien was suspended from her position Thursday by Treasurer Deborah Goldberg, who chose her for the job a year ago, as upheaval continues to collide with the CCC’s hefty regulatory and policy responsibilities. Goldberg’s office did not say why the treasurer put O’Brien on a paid suspension, a move that the Boston Globe reported...

New York City is now ranked as the top city in the world when it comes to marijuana consumption, according to a recent study.

Fund created to support cannabis equity businesses has $0 a year later

The Federal Trade Commission is cracking down on companies that sell edible Delta-8 THC products in packages that resemble popular children’s snacks. The options for edible cannabis products are growing. But the packaging of some of these products has caught the attention of the Federal Trade Commission,  and the agency doesn’t like it. The packaging for some edible cannabis...

Massachusetts’ cannabis regulators voted Monday to overhaul their approach toward rolling out social consumption locations, sometimes referred to as marijuana cafes, that voters embraced in the 2016 ballot question legalizing recreational marijuana use. The Cannabis Control Commission will scrap a 12-municipality pilot program for businesses where patrons can consume marijuana products on-site and focus on crafting broader regulations governing the…

An elementary school student found a marijuana edible in a staff member’s backpack at a classroom in Pembroke, Massachusetts, on Friday, school officials said. The Hobomock Elementary School student didn’t appear to be affected and isn’t believed to have eaten the edible, but they were taken to a hospital to be checked, Pembroke Public Schools Superintendent Erin Obey wrote...

The sale of cannabis seeds and plant clippings has been legal in Massachusetts since Tuesday, and by Thursday, they were sold out at Yamba Market in Cambridge. The company is now managing a wait list. Although Yamba Market’s initial inventory was small, the quick selling may indicate a consumer demand to “do it yourself.” “There’s a lot of demand...

Schools in Massachusetts now have cannabis courses for students looking to grow their knowledge about the budding industry.

Twelve years ago, cannabis entrepreneur Devin Alexander, 29, was arrested for the possession of three grams of cannabis.  Today, he co-owns one of only seven businesses in the state approved for a delivery operator license – driving cannabis products to people’s doorsteps. Ironically, his cannabis arrest record improved his eligibility for a state-regulated license. “To be able to legally sell…

The Massachusetts cannabis company behind Big Papi’s foray into the recreational marijuana trade is cutting brand partners to make its operation leaner. While the David Ortiz-backed Papi Cannabis brand is expected to survive, others in the company’s vast portfolio — like Slow & Steady — will not. “We’ve had to dial some things back,” Rev Brands Chief Marketing Officer...

The price consumers pay for legal cannabis in Massachusetts is at a five-year low, according to state data. While that is a short-term win for users, it’s bad news over the long term for businesses. The trouble is on two fronts: The wholesale value of the crop is greatly diminished, and at the retail level, businesses must sell about...

While the consumer price of cannabis has been falling in Massachusetts, many businesses in the young industry are struggling to stay above water.

With more than 1,400 recreational cannabis licenses approved (or partially approved) in Massachusetts for the cultivation, delivery and retail of marijuana, thousands of new jobs have been created since the implementation of adult-use laws. Ethos in Dorchester was approved as a medical dispensary in 2020. Last month it was approved to sell cannabis recreationally in the same store. The hiring…