Even though voters decided during the last election to legalize the recreational use of marijuana in Massachusetts, Governor Charlie Baker recently signed a law pushing back the schedule for retail marijuana operations in the state by six months.
The law now extends deadlines set when voters approved the legation through a ballot question in November 2016, whereby the “yes” vote was passed with a fifty four (54) percentage count. Soon after lawmakers began expressing interest in altering aspects of the regulatory structure set under the law, and suggesting a need for additional time to do so.
The provisions of the law went into effect on December 15th, allowing possession, use, home-growing, and gifting of marijuana by adults 21 and over which remains unchanged; however, the first retail marijuana licenses now must be issued by July 2018, instead of January 2018.
State Treasurer Deb Goldberg will have until September 1, 2017 to appoint members to a new Cannabis Control Commission, and the commission will have until March 15th, 2018 to have initial regulations in place.
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