The Massachusetts legislature has targeted July 1, 2017 as the date by which it will have legislation on Governor Charlie Baker's desk regarding the commercial cultivation, processing, and sale of non-medicinal cannabis products for adult use. On June 23rd, the House and Senate each appointed members to a 6-member conference committee that is tasked with resolving the differences between the (renumbered) House and Senate bills, H.3776 and S.2097. There are a number of differences to be addressed, including taxation, enforcement, and the ability of communities to limit or prohibit the establishment of cannabis businesses, even when a community has allowed a registered medical marijuana dispensary. ML Strategies has issued a Client Alert summarizing the progress of this issue from passage of the November 16, 2016 ballot question establishing "recreational" production and sale of cannabis products, through this most recent legislative activity. Stay tuned for further coverage.
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