CCC seeks comments on draft social consumption regulations

The Cannabis Control Commission today opened the public comment period on its draft regulations governing on-site social consumption licensing.

The public comment period will remain open until Sept. 12, and the CCC will host a hybrid hearing on Sept. 8 at its Worcester location and online.

The draft regulations (published on Aug. 1 at 3:52 p.m.) would create three different on-site, adult-use consumption license types:
• Supplemental, for existing marijuana establishments, including cultivation sites
• Hospitality, for new or existing non-cannabis businesses
• Event organizer, for temporary consumption events

The three proposed licenses would be exclusive to social equity businesses and participants, certified “economic empowerment priority” applicants, “microbusinesses,” and “craft marijuana cooperatives” for five years.

The draft regulations also contain provisions outlining safety protocols, smoking consumption area requirements, and “cooling down area” requirements (for areas free of consumption and smoke where consumers can recover from overconsumption).

The CCC released a preliminary draft of the regulations in January, and the MMA collaborated with the Massachusetts Municipal Lawyers Association to submit initial comments on Jan. 23 during an “initial feedback” period.

The draft regulations and information about the comment process can be found on the CCC’s website: masscannabiscontrol.com.