With over a year passed since the first recreational cannabis dispensaries opened in Massachusetts, there are many aspects of legalization that need to be smoothed over. While the state has seen $420 million in sales in 2019 (really, that’s the number), advocates continue to push for new changes in the system.

Let’s look at the issues advocates are focusing on for 2020.

Prioritized access to economic empowerment & social equity programs

The state offers two programs, the economic empowerment program and the social equity program, to help people from communities of disproportionate impact from the war on drugs. These people may receive business assistance, training, reduced fees, and other help to provide fair access to the new industry.

The program hasn’t provided the access many applicants hoped for, though. Leah Daniels of Alchemy League, a Massachusetts cannabis advocacy group, has never been convicted of a felony due to self-defense but continues to not get approval for her application. This has brought her potential earnings to a halt.

Daniels said in a letter to the CCC, “To my delight, as I was already aware, I have never been convicted of a felony in my 51yrs of living. I do on the other hand have multiple incidents resulting in non-convictions from 1989 at the ripe old age of 21 to 2009 to the ripe old age of 41. As stated in the CSI background report, and I quote ‘ multiple incidents resulting in non-convictions (other than distribution of a controlled substance to a minor) ARE NOT disqualifiers for licensure and would not automatically result in a presumptive negative suitability determination according to 935 CMR 500.800.’”

With a lack of prioritization for reviewing applications and allowing new members into the industry, advocates are pushing for better review processes from the CCC.

Removal of the host community agreement requirement

The Massachusetts Grower Advocacy Group is still considering a lawsuit against the CCC for their requirement that new businesses arrange a meeting with the community before opening a shop. This is according to their website’s agenda.

“Because the CCC will not consider a license application until a host community agreement has been executed, businesses and advocates say municipalities are using the required agreements to extract more than 3 percent of the marijuana business’s gross sales, the cap in place under the law,” reported the Boston Globe in 2018.

Advocates say the host agreements caused a slow roll-out of sales and that “without oversight a town can extort an applicant, or an applicant with money can make bribes, all out in the open,” Bernard said. “Lack of oversight is causing economic empowerment applicants and small businesses to miss out.”

Proper impaired driving enforcement

Massachusetts researchers are working on a breathalyzer to detect if drivers are under the influence of cannabis. Currently, whether or not drivers are under the influence of cannabis is difficult to detect with so many factors at play.

How much cannabis the driver normally consumes, how long ago they consumed, and their level of mental clarity all can factor into whether someone is driving under the influence or just has detectable levels of cannabis present.

With cannabis federally-illegal, the breathalyzer cannot be extensively studied. This issue will remain on advocates’ minds, but little can be done for now.

Correcting the corruption in the application process

Checks and balances in the community host agreements and other processes of applications are done at a local level. According to Boston.com, “Despite the local checks and balances, both law enforcement officials and cannabis industry advocates say the system is ripe for the type of “pay-to-play” abuse alleged in Fall River without state oversight.”

The CCC is accused of “squeezing the little guys” out by accepting more donations, bumping fees higher, and allowing better access to those who can afford it.

Final thoughts

Massachusetts cannabis advocacy groups have a lot on their plate with such a new industry at work. As 2020 unfolds, we’re sure to see new issues arise and old ones put to rest.

For now, many are focused on fixing the corruption of the application process. From the economic empowerment programs to the requirement of community host agreements, it’s clear that Massachusetts has a long way to go until they’ve smoothed out the major issues in the industry.

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