From trends and technology to tastes, turbulence, and triumphs
Things move very fast in the weed world. The Bay State landscape is no exception, with companies from all around the world investing millions at every level, from retail to technology, and natives writing their future via rigor, regulation, and resourcefulness.
Since the information cycle spins so quickly, most of the quotations below that we felt provided an insightful overview of Mass grass this past year are from the second half of 2023. For a snapshot of the first half, check out our roundup from June, 23 Mass Cannabis Quotes That Put 2023 In Focus And Forecast The Future.
From a September Cannabis Control Commission statement on the gobs of money being made …
“Adult-use Marijuana Establishments in Massachusetts reached another milestone by surpassing $5 billion in gross sales on August 31 … coming on the heels of three back-to-back record sales months in June, July, and August.”
Massachusetts Department of Public Health report (“Cannabis Flower Technician Experiences Fatal Asthma Exacerbation”) detailing the death of Trulieve employee Lorna McMurrey, compiled by the state Fatality Assessment & Control Evaluation program in coordination with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health …
“Review of the worker’s job tasks, exposures, and health history led to the finding that her exposure to the cannabis plant and ground cannabis at work contributed to her developing an allergy and ultimately asthma. The MA FACE program and partner investigators believe this is the first occupational asthma fatality in this U.S. workforce. Information from multiple sources taken together suggests that the victim did not have asthma prior to starting at the cannabis facility in May 2021.”
Christopher Hudalla on the need for additional regulatory guidance …
“Are synthetic cannabinoids permissible in the Massachusetts market? Do we add Delta 10 into the total THC calculation? In the total THC calculation do we do the mathematical decarboxylation that is required under federal [policy] and [by] every other state agency when we report total THC? Do we moisture correct? These are all questions we’ve been begging for guidance on for years, and in our most recent guidance from the CCC, they basically said it doesn’t matter, you can do anything you want—how and what you report is a business decision, it’s not a regulatory decision. For a regulator who’s responsible for the Massachusetts cannabis program, for them to consider potency reporting a business decision is alarming.”
Derrell Black of Let’s Talk Weed on some of the many questions ahead as the state tackles social consumption …
“Festivals, things of that nature are probably the easiest way to figure out this whole thing. Restaurants and indoor [spaces] are probably going to be a slow roll. How it looks, though, I don’t get it, because we do it now. Why pay for something that I already do for free? They don’t reprimand people for smoking outside now, but [with social consumption regulations in place], are there going to be ramifications and consequences for people doing what they want to do?”
Bud’s Goods & Provisions co-founder and CEO Alex Mazin on the current state of flower packaging …
“Where we are in our industry and the way people think about packaging, my analogy is [potato] chips,” Mazin said. “Most chips are bagged today, that’s the standard practice. Yes, there’s Pringles, there’s the anomalies, but most chips are in bags. And where we are in our industry is similar—but we’re still debating whether it’s more efficient to go in a pouch or a jar.”
HighTide President Josh Grab on changing tastes …
“People are not drinking as much these days, we know that from trends in alcohol. People are looking for a more mindful way to enjoy their time and are realizing that cannabis is a way that they can socialize without having a hangover, and they’re also realizing that it’s not as scary as they once thought.”
Francesca DeRogatis of Nightjar Cannabis (NJ) on finding opportunities in other markets …
“A very big difference between Massachusetts and New Jersey was that [the latter] allowed for this conditional license type which allowed folks an opportunity to kind of get on the board without holding a property. It gave you this license to go to a landlord and say, I’m serious, I just got my conditional license, I’m the real deal, and you should lease or sell the space to me.”
Kijana Rose of I & I Rose Garden on the enduring roadblocks and continuing struggle …
“I pray that this process only gets easier for everyone coming next, especially the Black girls. I heard someone say in a [Cannabis Control Commission] hearing the other day that Black men have struggled the most to get in the industry. It’s not a competition of struggles, but that’s not been my reality. … On a legislative note, I hope that the commission figures out a way to shorten the licensing process, which would inevitably make it a lot cheaper. It’s a pay-to-play game, and most people that look like me simply do not have the entry fee, which goes up everyday.”
Cannabis Social Equity Advisory Board member Phil Smith on the slow and disappointing rollout of the state’s Cannabis Social Equity Trust Fund …
“Who dropped the ball? … I feel like we are being cut out of all of this. … It’s not funny and it’s not a game. We need a direct answer.”
Cannabis Control Commission Chair Shannon O’Brien on the state of Massachusetts regulation under her charge in July …
“We are in crisis right now as a commission … we need to make sure that we can manage through this regulatory process.”
