SCHUMER'S NEXT STEPS
According to Politco, "Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Sens. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) will meet today with stakeholders to discuss plans for cannabis legislation in the 117th Congress. Schumer and Wyden’s offices both confirmed they would be present for the meeting, which Booker will also reportedly attend." The meeting signifies a sense of urgency to move quickly on cannabis policy. All three Senators introduced major pieces of cannabis legislation in the 116th Congress, and are expected to take leading roles over the next two years. All eyes are on Wyden as chair of the Senate Finance Committee, which will likely be the pathway to the floor for any major piece of cannabis legislation given that they will almost certainly include Banking/tax provisions. "A Senate Democratic staffer with knowledge of the meeting characterized the objective of today‘s meeting as “getting input from stakeholder groups” to develop legislation."
MS DELAYS
According to the Mississippi Board of Health regulations, the state’s medical cannabis program will likely be in place by July 1. The state is expected to begin issuing licenses for dispensaries and cards to patients by August 15. Cultivators will then be able to grow marijuana plants. Laboratories will still need to test the potency of the plants. Mississippi’s state health officers said it could take six to nine weeks for growers to have plants for the program. The state Supreme Court will also hear a challenge to the voter initiative. Q4 appears to be the earliest the state’s medical program can begin.
4FRONT IN MA
4Front Ventures has received approval from the Brookline Planning Board to start the construction of a dispensary. The shop will carry adult-use cannabis products, but it will be by appointment only. Customers will be able to order online. The dispensary is in Brookline, but the sidewalk is shared with Boston. Boston has indicated that it will not allow the shop to have a line out the door. 4Front has also received approval for adult-use sales at its facility in Georgetown. The company’s facilities in Worcester were given the authorization to begin adult-use production and sales in the fall. Management said, "As anyone who has worked to open a cannabis business in Massachusetts will tell you, the road to welcoming your first guest is a long one – and the receipt of a Special Use Permit is nothing short of a milestone.” The difficulty of receiving approval in Massachusetts is a competitive moat in itself.
