Cannabis Control Commission weighs in on industry 5 years after its legalized

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PROFITLEAB THE RECREATIONAL USE OF MARIJUANA HAS BEEN LEGAL IN MASSACHUSETTS FOR NEARLY FIVE YEARS. SINCE VOTERS APPROVED ETH CHANGE IN 2016, THE STATE HAS BIRTHED AN INDUSTRY, APPROVING NEARLY 900 LICENSE APPLICATIONS, RETAILERS, LABS, AND OTHERS. >> BUILDING SOMETHING FROM NOTHINANDG REGULATING AN INDUSTRY, THOSE CHALLENGES ARE MASSIVE. ANTHON THE COMMISSION IS IN WORCESTER’S UNION STATIO. >> WE HAVE A SAFE INDUSTRY. THIS IS ONE OF THE SAFEST INDUSTRIESN ITHE COUNTRY. >> IT’’ PROBABLY THE MOST TESTED PRODUCTS WE HAVE FOR SALE IN THE STATE. ANTHONY: MIKE IS THE CEO OF A LAB IN FRAMINGHAM. HE IS LICSEDEN BY THE STATE TO TEST CANNABIS. >> IF YOU BOUGHT ADVIL ATHE T DRUGSTORE YOUNO KW THAT THE TABLETS ARE 200G. M WE WANT TO SHOW HOW POTENT CANNABIS PRODUCTS ARE SO THEY CAN BE LABELED PROPERLY. ANTHONY: EACH SAMPLE IS SCREENED RFO CONTAMINASNT INCLUDING PESTICIDES, SOLVENTS, AND HEAVY METALS. >> WE NEED TO GET THAT OUT AND WE END UP MICROWAVING IT IN REALLY STRONG ACID. ANTHONY: THEY TEST HUNDREDS OF SAMPLEAS DAY. >> WE HAVE A VERY RIGOROUS PROCESS TO MAKE SURE WE EAR ACCURATE. ANTHONY: THE BUSINESS IS GROWING STEADILY AND EMPLOYS00 1 PEOPLE. >> WE HAVE DOUBLED IN SIZE EVERY YEAR FROM 2013 UNTIL TODAY. ANTHONY: THEY CONSIDER THE WORK CRITICAL TO THE SUCCESS OF THE MARIJUANA INDUSTRY. >> IT’S HOW WE DIFFERENTIATE THE MARKET AND ENSURE CONFIDENCE IN THE PRODUCT. ANTHY:ON IN ADDITION TO QUALITY CONTROL AND SAFETY, THEAREY CONFIDENT IN THEIR PRINT — THERE TRANSPARENCY. >> WE PUBLISH AS MUCH INFORMATION AS PSIOSBLE SO OTHERS WHO WANTOT GET INTO THE INDUSTRY HAVE ACCESS TO THE INFO. ANTHY:ON TYHE LAUNCHED PROGRAMS AIMED AT ENABLING PARTICIPATION IN THE INDUSTRY BY PEOPLE DISPROPORTIONALLY HARMED BY PROHIBITION AND ENFORCEMENT. >> WEANT W TO GIVE EVERYONE THE TOOLS THEY NEED TO SUCCEED TO UNDERSTAND THE MARKETPLACE. ANTHY:ON OF THE NEARLY 900 LICENSEPP ALICATIONS APPROVED, JUST 16% ARE PARTICIPANTS IN THE PROGRAMS. IS IT ENOUGH? OR DO YOU WANT A MORE ROBUST MBNUER? >>NUER? HE REMAINS A PRIORITY. IF GRASDE WERE DUE TODAY WE WOULD BE TNO PASSING. WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO ON EQUITY AND WE INTEND TO. THE COMMITMENT IS SINCERE. THANY:ON IN JUNE THEY LAUNCH AED THIRD ROUND OF THE SOCIAL EQUITY PROGRAM OFFERING TECHNICAL ASSISTANCEND A EXPEDITED LICENSE REVIEW TO THOSE WHO QUALIFY. FIVE YEARS HAVE GONE BY. A LOT HAS HAPPENED. WHERE DO YOUEE S THE STATE OF THE INDUSTRY FIVE YEARS FROM NOW? >> I HOPE IT IS A COMMODITY LIKE YOUR CORNER STORE. I HOPE IT FOLDS INTO THE FABRIC OF THE COMMUNITY. AYSHNA: THEY LAUNCHED THE THIRD ROUND OF THE EQUITY PROGRAM THIS YEAR AND THE APPLICATION PCESSRO STARTS AT THE END OF THE MONTH. ANTHY:ON RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA RETAILERS HAD TO CLOSE DURING THE PANDEMIC BUT ETH CCC IS PROUD TO SAY NONE OF THEM HAD TO PERMANENTLY CLOSE. WHEN THEY WERE CLOSED, 30,000 NEW PEOPLE REGISTERED FOR MEDICAL MARIJUANA USE. SO THE DEMAND IS THERE.