Massachusetts Regulators Approve Draft Rules for Marijuana Cafes, Set Stage for Public Hearings

The Cannabis Control Commission voted  today to send the proposed rules to Secretary of the Commonwealth Bill Galvin, triggering the start of a formal public comment period. According to Acting Chair Bruce Stebbins, the rules should be in Galvin’s hands by Friday, with a public hearing likely taking place in September. “This is a draft of what we want to put out there for stakeholder and public comment and feedback,” said Stebbins, adding that the commission is expecting and encouraging a high volume of responses. “We are looking for a lot of comment and a lot of feedback, and the promulgation process allows for that.”

Massachusetts legalized marijuana through a 2016 voter initiative that included provisions for social consumption, but the commission delayed implementation while it prioritized rules for retail sales. Now, nearly eight years later, the commission has completed months of work revising and reviewing its proposed framework, which was originally released in December.

Under the timeline currently outlined by the commission, the rules could take effect as soon as October.

The proposed rules include a range of considerations, from limits on how much marijuana someone can consume in a single visit, to air filtration requirements and distinctions between indoor and outdoor consumption spaces. They also create licensing categories for different types of social consumption businesses.

Stebbins described the vote as a “milestone,” but emphasized it’s only the beginning. “This is the first step in the process,” he said. “The final rules will reflect the public feedback we receive, just as we’ve done before.”

Massachusetts has sold more than $8 billion worth of marijuana products since launching its legal market. Regulators say the addition of social consumption sites could further boost the industry’s growth and create new opportunities for entrepreneurs and municipalities alike.