Cannabis News
Massachusetts Governor Signs Bill Doubling Legal Marijuana Possession Limit And Revising Industry Rules
The governor of Massachusetts has signed a bill double the legal limit for adult marijuana possession and revise the regulatory framework for the state’s adult cannabis market.
Gov. Maura Healey (D) approved the legislation Sunday, about a week and a half after lawmakers sent it to her desk in unanimous House and Senate votes.
“The cannabis industry is an important part of the Massachusetts economy: it supports jobs and local businesses and generates revenue for cities and towns,” Healey said in a press release. “It is important that we are doing everything we can to ensure that this industry is set up to succeed and remain competitive in this growing market. I am grateful to the Legislature for their leadership on this critical reform project.”
A bicameral conference committee spent months working on provisions of the legislation after the two chambers passed different versions last year, and the committee approved the compromise approach on Monday.
“With the governor’s signature today, our legislature takes an important step toward making the cannabis industry here in Massachusetts more profitable, profitable and competitive for business owners and consumers,” said Sen. Adam Gómez (D), who chaired the bicameral panel. “This legislation strengthens the Cannabis Regulatory Commission’s oversight by making smart updates that help small businesses, improve accountability, and ensure consumers can safely and legally access cannabis.”
“By clarifying shipping and advertising rules, increasing accounts receivable transparency, increasing purchase amounts and modernizing licensing limits, we’re building a more stable and fairer cannabis market for our state and I’m proud of our body for prioritizing reform this session,” he said.
Rep. Daniel M. Donahue (D), who also chaired the conference committee and co-chairs the Joint Committee on Cannabis Policy with Gómez, said he is “delighted” that the legislation became law.
“These reforms represent a new commitment to ensuring a safe, equitable and prosperous future for the Commonwealth’s legalized cannabis industry,” he said. “I look forward to working with the administration through their implementation.”
Among the revisions to the state’s cannabis law is a section that increases the personal possession limit of marijuana from one ounce to two. Colorado enacted the same reform in 2021 after the state’s cannabis market matured.
H.5350 reduces the size of the Cannabis Control Commission (CCC) and overhauls the organization, while also updating the limits on marijuana business licenses.
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According to the versions of both chambers invoiceThe CCC would consist of three members instead of the current five. Conference committee the report it takes provisions of the House measure that has now become law that would allow the governor to make all appointments, with the Senate approach giving the attorney general one of the appointments. According to the previous law, the treasurer also had a role in appointing committee members, but this will no longer be the case.
The proposal calls for one member of the CCC to have a background in social justice, while the other two commissioners have a background in public health, public safety, social justice, consumer regulation or the production and distribution of cannabis.
The new law also increases the number of licenses a single entity can hold from three to six, and also raises from 10 percent to 20 percent the threshold for how much of a company’s equity is considered property to count toward the license cap. It also removes a current requirement that medical cannabis operators be vertically integrated to simultaneously cultivate, manufacture and sell marijuana.
It also empowers regulators to choose dispensaries to advertise sales, discounts and customer loyalty programs at retail locations and via email, and specifies that marijuana dispensary operators can deliver to any municipality unless local officials proactively ban cannabis businesses and stop delivery.
The measure creates a new portal for reporting illegal behavior and directs regulators to create a list of cannabis companies that have not paid their debts to other operators for more than 60 days and prevents regulators from doing business with other operators until the debts are settled.
The legislation also requires regulators to study and report on hemp-derived products, the public health impacts of cannabis, tax policy and workplace safety regulations.
Before the governor signed the bill, the CCC published guidance on the immediate effect of the new law.
After signing the bill on Sunday, CCC Executive Director Travis Ahern he said “During this transition, the organization will remain focused on its primary mission of regulating a safe and fair cannabis industry for Massachusetts consumers, patients, employers and taxpayers.”
Cannabis regulation reform has come into effect after state marijuana businesses filed a lawsuit aimed at blocking it. initiative to roll back the legalization law approved by state voters from reaching the November vote.
If approved, the state would not return to general prohibition; rather, it would repeal the commercial recreational sales and home cultivation components of the law, while allowing adults 21 and older to possess one ounce of cannabis for personal use.
Possession of more than one ounce but less than two ounces would effectively be decriminalized, with violators facing a $100 fine. Adults can also continue to gift cannabis to each other without payment. The sale of medical marijuana would be legal.
The measure is before the legislature after supporters provided an initial round of signatures last year, and lawmakers have until May 5 to act on the proposal. If they decide not to pass it in the legislature, the campaign would have to go through another round of petitions and get at least 12,429 certified signatures by July 1 to get on the November ballot.
The promoters faced skeptical questions from lawmakers at a hearing of the Joint Committee on Initiative Petitions last month, with several. raising concerns about the motivations behind the anti-marijuana measure and the consequences for consumers and companies.
A Bay State Poll by the University of Hampshire State Opinion Project found that A majority of Massachusetts adults oppose the initiative to repeal the sale and cultivation of marijuana.
Meanwhile, in November, the legislature’s Joint Committee on Cannabis Policy advanced a bill that would have required a study. legal barriers facing first responders who want to use marijuana in compliance with state law.
Regulators should also examine marijuana’s effectiveness in the treatment of anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In addition, police and first responders in other jurisdictions will review laws and policies regarding the use of cannabis and “any other matter deemed relevant by the commission.”
The bill was reported when lawmakers in another committee passed separate legislation employment protection for people who use marijuana. Another panel advanced a a bill similar to the employment protections for cannabis in September
Meanwhile, the head of Massachusetts’ marijuana regulatory agency recently suggested measures to effectively recriminalize the sale of recreational cannabis. dangerous tax revenues being used to support substance abuse treatment efforts and other public programs.
To that point, Massachusetts recently achieved another marijuana milestone, officials announced in February that the state has. Over $9 billion in adult cannabis purchases since market launch in 2018.
A report by the Cannabis Control Commission (CCC) found that legalization is achieving one of its main goals: stopping the illegal sale of cannabis as adults move into the regulated market. It shows that among adults who used marijuana in the past year, a staggering 84 percent said they got their cannabis from a licensed source.
Massachusetts lawmakers recently joined a bicameral conference committee to hammer out a deal. double the legal limit for possession of marijuana for adults and reviewing the regulatory framework for the state’s adult cannabis market.
In December, state regulators, too established rules for the halls of social consumption of marijuana.
CCC has recently launched a targeted online platform helping people find work, on-the-job training and networking opportunities in the state’s legal cannabis industry.
Separately, members of parliament are advancing the legislation establishing pilot programs for the regulated therapeutic use of psychedelics.
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TerrAscend Corp. has announced the appointment of Eric Jackson as Chief Financial Officer, effective April 27, 2026.
“On behalf of the entire TerrAscend team, we are pleased to welcome Eric as our Chief Financial Officer,” said Ziad Ghanem, President and CEO of TerrAscend. “Eric brings a proven track record of financial and operational leadership in complex and competitive retail and consumer businesses. His experience in driving efficiencies, expanding margins and navigating dynamic operating environments will be invaluable as we continue to scale and execute our strategy.”
© TerrAscend
Mr. Jackson brings more than two decades of financial and operational leadership experience in the retail, consumer and manufacturing sectors. Most recently, he served for more than eight years as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of American Signature, Inc., a multi-location, omnichannel retailer, where Mr. Jackson oversaw finance, accounting, treasury, analytics, IT, real estate and supply chain functions.
Prior to American Signature, Mr. Jackson spent more than 14 years at L Brands, a publicly traded specialty retailer whose portfolio included Victoria’s Secret, PINK, Bath & Body Works, La Senza and Henri Bendel. He held senior management roles in finance and operations, supporting its large-scale retail and merchandising businesses. Throughout his career, Mr. Jackson has driven operational transformation, optimized cost structures, strengthened liquidity management, improved capital efficiency, and streamlined financial and operational processes to create long-term value.
“I’m excited for TerrAscend to enter an important phase of its growth,” said Eric Jackson. “The company has built a strong foundation in attractive markets, and I look forward to working with the team to improve financial performance, increase operating leverage and drive sustainable long-term value for our shareholders.”
Mr. Jackson holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Miami and a Master of Business Administration from The Ohio State University.
For more information:
Terrigoera
terrascend.com
Those wishing to grow and process hemp this year must apply for a license from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) by April 30. Each license is valid until December 31 of the year it is issued. Graduates must reapply annually to continue in the program. An MDA license is required for individuals and businesses.
So far, about 30 people have applied for the 2026 MDA license, compared to 84 applicants last year.
These licenses are for the cultivation and processing of industrial hemp only. The hemp license application is not for adult use or for growing or selling medical cannabis. The application is also not intended for the sale of hemp-derived cannabinoid products. Information on adult use and medical cannabis is available Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) website.
There are applications of industrial hemp MDA website. Along with the online form, first-time applicants and authorized representatives must submit fingerprints and pass a criminal background check.
There are also several updates for the 2026 season. The extraction of cannabinoids from hemp is now regulated by the OCM, meaning that anyone interested in this type of processing will need a separate licence. The rates have also changed. The base cost of a hemp license is now $400, with an additional $250 per growing or processing location. The previous $250 processor license fee has been removed, but a 5% surcharge now applies to upgrades to MDA’s technology systems.
All authorized representatives listed on an application must pass a background check before being licensed. In addition, each lot of hemp must undergo THC testing before harvest, and each official sample collected by the MDA costs $100.
Source: Minnesota Department of Agriculture
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