Slow pot rollout makes sense
With less than two months until retail marijuana sales begin, the chairman of the Cannabis Control Commission said he expects a limited marijuana marketplace this summer, even as commissioners opened the license application process to more applicants Tuesday.
Given the radical change and scope entailed in the rollout of pot establishments, there’s no problem with a measured, conservative debut for this new industry. Commission Chairman Steven Hoffman attributed municipal roadblocks and challenges ensuring ample marijuana supplies as the issues contributing to what he believes will be a modest number of outlets operating on the July 1 kickoff date.
Those municipal roadblocks include a provision in the law that directs a retailmarijuana applicant to hold a meeting with the host community, which must result in a mutual agreement of the terms under which that establishment will operate.
All procedures must be accomplished before commissioners can approve a license.
Since many Massachusetts communities have imposed moratoriums or bans on retail marijuana shops, reaching a community operating accord represents a complicated, timeconsuming factor for potential pot entrepreneurs.
According to published reports, at least 189 of the state’s 351 municipalities have banned retail marijuana stores — and most have imposed restrictions on other marijuana businesses.
It seems that despite approving recreational pot in concept, even cities and towns that backed a statewide referendum now have second thoughts about allowing the marijuana trade in practice.
Chairman Hoffman prefers to remain sanguine about the prospects for the state’s retail pot industry. He said many of the moratoriums were put in place until municipalities had a clear idea about how this new industry would be regulated.
Since that has now been established, Hoffman said he believes that many moratorium towns will eventually lift their bans and allow retail outlets to operate.
As for supplies, currently only registered marijuana dispensaries can grow marijuana commercially. Media reports indicate new licenses for cultivation won’t be approved by the control board until at least June 1.
Accenting the positive, Hoffman said he sees the industry meeting the expected demand over time as more farms begin operating.
The chairman’s own tempered assessment of the retailpot landscape demonstrates why a fullfledged opening on July 1 of all commercial pot options envisioned by Cannabis Control Commission was such an illadvised, flawed idea.
That’s why state leaders, including Gov. Charlie Baker and Boston Mayor Marty Walsh, called for a more deliberate twostep pot rollout. It permits basic retail establishments to get their footing before allowing other outlets to operate, like marijuana “cafes,” spas and movie theaters, which also want to offer cannabis products.
In light of Chairman Hoffman’s own statements, it’s obvious that a measured pace for this was the only practical option.