Massachusetts Regulators Approve Cannabis Delivery Bans for 13 Municipalities Under New State Law
- The Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission approved temporary bans on adult-use marijuana delivery in 13 municipalities, despite a new law allowing delivery statewide unless a waiver is granted.
- Bans last up to two years and can be renewed with commission approval; medical marijuana delivery remains allowed statewide without restrictions.
- Delivery licenses are reserved primarily for businesses owned by participants in the Social Equity Program or Economic Empowerment Priority Applicants, with exclusivity extended through April 2029.
- Since June 2021, cannabis delivery businesses in Massachusetts have generated nearly $74 million in gross sales, with multiple licensed couriers and operators currently serving customers and patients.
The Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission has approved temporary bans on adult-use marijuana delivery in 13 municipalities following the enactment of a law that authorized delivery statewide.
The law, signed by Governor Maura Healey on April 19, allows cannabis delivery in every municipality unless a city or town receives a waiver from the commission. Municipalities that already have marijuana retailers are not eligible to request a waiver.
As of July 15, the commission had certified delivery waivers for 13 communities, according to its Municipal Zoning Tracker. Two of those municipalities opted to prohibit delivery for one year, while the remaining waivers may last up to two years.
Delivery bans can be renewed in additional two-year increments but require commission approval. The agency has created a standardized waiver form and is publishing each active ban and its expiration date through the zoning tracker.
The restrictions apply only to adult-use marijuana delivery. Medical marijuana establishments are allowed to deliver to registered patients in all 351 Massachusetts cities and towns.
“Delivery businesses have proven to operate safely and to the letter of the law, and so the Commission encourages municipalities to give serious thought before opting to prohibit adult-use delivery,” Commission Chair Chris Harding said.
Massachusetts offers three delivery license models: couriers that deliver products from licensed marijuana establishments, operators that can purchase and warehouse products for delivery, and delivery endorsements for eligible microbusinesses.
Delivery licenses are reserved for businesses majority-owned by participants in the state’s Social Equity Program or certified Economic Empowerment Priority Applicants. The exclusivity period for those applicants was recently extended through April 2029.
The commission has authorized 13 marijuana couriers, 20 delivery operators and two microbusinesses with delivery endorsements to begin operating. Eight couriers and 17 delivery operators are currently serving customers and patients, employing a combined 324 registered agents.
Cannabis delivery businesses have facilitated or directly generated nearly $74 million in gross sales since the state’s first delivery operation opened in June 2021.