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Cannabis Control Commission Mass. Cannabis Equity Council Policy Press Press Releases & Media Advisories State Legislation What's Happening

Mass. Cannabis Equity Leaders Call for Investigation into Alleged License Cap Violations

More than a dozen cultivation, manufacturing, and dispensary owners, along with BECMA and EON, are raising concerns about repeated reports that owners of Ascend Wellness — a large, multistate operator founded and headquartered in Massachusetts — have violated the Commonwealth’s ownership limits.

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EON’s Comments to DEA on Need to Deschedule Marijuana

Rescheduling marijuana to Schedule III is not enough. Marijuana must be removed from the CSA and should be federally regulated for both medical and adult use. 

Rescheduling does not address the challenges and injustices that must be reckoned with…

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Cannabis equity businesses & advocates celebrate House rejection of amendment to change license cap

Following an outcry from cannabis equity owners and advocates, the House elected not to adopt Amendment 10 to H. 4789, the economic development bill under consideration.

In response, Equitable Opportunities Now Policy Co-Chair Kevin Gilnack issued the following statement…

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About Mass. Cannabis Equity Council Press Press Releases & Media Advisories What's Happening

Cannabis equity business owners, EON oppose license cap change amendment to Eco Dev bill

We sent the following letter to House leaders on behalf of our EON and our Massachusetts Cannabis Equity Council, an advisory committee of Economic Empowerment and Social Equity Program owners, stressing our objection to the license cap amendment and in support of several that would positively impact the entire industry.

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Cannabis Control Commission Cannabis Social Equity Fund Municipal Licensing Equity Policy Press Press Releases & Media Advisories State Legislation What's Happening

Cannabis equity businesses and Equitable Opportunities Now team up to oppose license cap changes & address industry challenges

“The Commonwealth’s license cap is vital to protecting a competitive market and our legally mandated mission to foster equitable participation in this new market,” said EON Policy Co-Chair and MCEC founding member Armani White, who owns provisionally licensed Firehouse. “With lobbyists and lawyers for large multistate operators working with a handful of business leaders to undermine small business protections, it’s vital for cannabis equity businesses to have a voice in the policymaking process.”

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Cannabis Control Commission Municipal Licensing Equity Policy Press Press Releases & Media Advisories State Legislation What's Happening

EON applauds CCC for Model HCA public comment period, advancing key deliverables, & increasing transparency on Ch. 180 implementation process

EON applauds Acting Chair Ava Concepcion, her fellow Commissioners, Director of Licensing Kyle Potvin, Esq., and the CCC staff for providing a two-week public comment period for the Model HCA that elicited 19-20 public comments that generated approximately 90 potential changes — and for advancing these key deliverables.

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Cannabis Control Commission Cannabis Social Equity Fund Event Policy Press Press Releases & Media Advisories State Legislation

Acting Chair Concepcion, Asst. Secretary Vega and other leaders to speak at Celebration of Equity Champions

Third-annual fundraising reception will honor contributions to Massachusetts’ historic cannabis equity policies at licensed cannabis equity business New Dia Fenway

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Cannabis Social Equity Fund Event Policy Press Press Releases & Media Advisories What's Happening

Special Guest: EOED Asst. Secretary Juan Vega to share Cannabis Social Equity Fund update at Celebration of Equity Champions

EOED Assistant Secretary for Communities and Programs Juan Vega will share general information about the agency’s plans for the Cannabis Social Equity Trust Fund and share the EOED’s progress in implementing the changes included in the FY23 supplemental budget (that you helped to pass!) in coordination with the Legislature, Executive Office of Administration & Finance, Comptroller’s Office, and other government partners.

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Cannabis Control Commission Municipal Licensing Equity Policy Press Press Releases & Media Advisories What's Happening

EON Letter to CCC Regarding Model HCA, Model Municipal Equity Ordinance, & Municipal Compliance

Following the Cannabis Control Commission’s Dec. 14, 2023 meeting, during which Commissioners and staff discussed progress in implementing HCA and municipal equity regulations promulgated pursuant to Ch. 180 of the Acts of 2022, Equitable Opportunities Now submitted the following public comment…

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Cannabis Control Commission Policy Press Press Releases & Media Advisories What's Happening

BECMA, EON urge CCC to Repeal Burdensome Regulations Targeting Equity Businesses

The initial framework for Marijuana Delivery Operators and Marijuana Couriers has failed to create meaningful economic opportunities for the communities intended to benefit from it due to overly burdensome regulations that emphasize an overly cautious and costly approach that exceeds the standards set by any other state in the country.

On behalf of Equitable Opportunities Now, the Black Economic Council of Massachusetts, and our members and supporters across the Commonwealth, we urge the Cannabis Control Commission (CCC) to make the following regulatory changes at the earliest possible opportunity to unlock the potential of these important license types…