“This isn’t just recreational—we have to take care of the elders, we have to take care of those who are less fortunate than others.”
In April, the Cannabis Control Commission voted to get rid of a pilot program that would have designated only a handful of cities and towns to launch the first licenses for social consumption in Massachusetts. The program was largely seen as flawed and its erasure was applauded by stakeholders and potential applicants, but the future of 420-friendly lounges and events in the Bay State remains unclear.
The CCC currently has a working group that’s fielding information from various parties, including with a series of three listening sessions that wrap with the final installment this Thursday night at Mass Bay Community College in Wellesley. Among their gripes and advice, many respondents have testified that the current regulations in place for social consumption—namely but not limited to restrictions on actually smoking weed in these establishments—are overly restrictive and impediments to hopeful licensees turning a profit.
Derrell Black wears many hats as an industry leader and small business advocate. In his role as the CEO of Let’s Talk Weed, a forum that engages members of the cannabis community on various issues, he’s used his platform to address areas like equity and access, all of which are in play when it comes to social consumption. On that front, Black has been poking around since 2019, “when [Social Equity and Economic Empowerment advocates] were working on delivery licenses.”
Similar to with delivery, SE and EE applicants will have exclusive priority periods in which they can open social consumption businesses. But Black and others worry that there will also be another similarity in which a lack of state planning and assistance will result in many missed opportunities.
In order to push helpful ideas to the top of the stack as the CCC’s working group on social consumption compiles its recommendations, Black and Let’s Talk Weed are hosting a forum at Diaspora in Cambridge on Friday, July 28. The event “will serve as a platform for passionate individuals to exchange ideas and shape the future of cannabis social consumption in our communities,” propelled by “the idea that by fostering an inclusive environment, we can pave the way for responsible and informed discussions surrounding this important topic.”
We spoke with Black ahead of the agora, and excerpted his wisdom on the issue below broken down by subtopics. As he put it, “There are so many questions in the air, and not just for businesses. … We have to have these conversations, and on July 28 we are going to open up the floodgates.”
On the current rules …
The most ridiculous thing is just [being able to vape] in the space [and not being able to actually smoke cannabis]. For one, as a person who doesn’t vape, it doesn’t do anything for me. For two, I’d rather us do it more naturally and not mechanically with coils and things that can combust. If [there is a problem with a vape or electronic device] at our lounge, then it’s our responsibility.
On worker safety …
If we do want some kind of consumption with joints and blunts though, then we have to worry about the safety of employees, so it’s a fine line.
On the restaurant question …
Is there going to be food and beverage [served at places where you can consume cannabis]? Are restaurants going to be able to implement this into their business practice? We have to sit down with the Department of Public Health and figure this out.
On indoor versus outdoor 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?
On existing models …
You have to see what’s out there and what are the pros and cons. I’ve been to a couple [of social consumption venues] in Vegas and there’s been no issues to me. But then again, we have to revert back to the state legalities and where the laws may differ. It gets tricky, but starting from scratch helps us lay it out the way we want.
On potential pitfalls …
How many of these [social consumption licenses] are going to be out there? Is this going to be like a dispensary situation? How is anybody going to make money? And how are you going to make money if you can’t sell any cannabis?
On social consumption and equitable opportunities …
With Social Equity [licenses for cultivation, delivery, manufacturing, and retail], we’re already at a disadvantage. How is delivery going to be sustainable? We don’t want the same thing to happen with a social consumption license that will happen to a delivery license when you can order weed online from out of state—like, if I can smoke inside of my house or outside, what is the point of a social consumption lounge? Is there really something there for us? We have to have a straight dialogue with commissioners about this.
On public safety …
And then we have to talk about driving, if people are impaired going from social consumption lounge to lounge. In the alcohol model, people do it all the time, but [politicians and regulators] treat [cannabis] like it’s the number one killer in the world.
On the need for social consumption in disadvantaged communities …
We know who is in subsidized houses [like public housing projects, where cannabis delivery and use of any kind is expressly prohibited]. We know it’s Black and brown people and they’re looking for every excuse to get them out and get the next person in. We need to figure out a safe space for these people to consume cannabis. This isn’t just recreational—we have to take care of the elders, we have to take care of those who are less fortunate than others.
On his own social consumption ambitions …
If all things fall in the right place and they are allowing us to do certain things and change some of the regulations, then I’ll go for it. But I’m trying to make sure we have equal opportunities. From the looks of it so far, the CCC hasn’t given [priority applicants] anything sustainable.
On the process moving forward …
There has to be some level of compromise, and right now it seems one sided. Hopefully after the three public meetings and my meeting, there will be some clarity, or at least some sense that these rules are going to change. This is a chance for us to say what we want for social consumption.
More info and tickets for Let’s Talk Weed on July 28 here
