Stebbins: Public safety on cannabis consumption site menu

The Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission is nearing a vote on long-awaited draft regulations for social consumption an vital step for the state s cannabis industry With current changes to our statute in we now have the tools and chance to realize new territory opportunities envisioned by advocates for legalization The state s regulated cannabis domain and adults who are ages and older have been getting ready for social consumption for years but we know not all Massachusetts residents are peaceful with the idea of patrons consuming cannabis on-site at establishments and at events across the Commonwealth That s why the Commission has spent the last sparse months poring over every detail of these regulations to ensure that population vitality and safety come first Social consumption isn t just an aspect of legal cannabis that voters approved it s also one of the last areas of the legacy territory still thriving in the state If you have ever come across someone consuming cannabis in society that s what these regulations will help to address We know social consumption is already happening in the Commonwealth and these new regulations may cut down on illegal use by creating licensed venues subject to fitness and safety protocols So what exactly will the Commission do to make sure social consumption businesses operate safely After countless meetings with municipal leaders law enforcement agents industry stakeholders and colleagues from other jurisdictions with social consumption in place we have landed on requiring thoughtful safeguards for each licensee including No licensed social consumption business will be allowed to serve alcohol or tobacco Employees at social consumption locations will have to take dedicated training to recognize drug and alcohol impairment Licensees will also be required to help customers cool down if they consume too much or have an adverse reaction Sales of cannabis products must cease minutes before the business closing time Licensees will need to make food and non-alcoholic beverages available because a few research has shown that consuming food and cannabis may mitigate the intoxicating effects All licensees will have to have an approved transportation plan to assist impaired customers Businesses must comply with strong ventilation requirements where cannabis will be smoked plus personal protective equipment requested by any employee Product menus will list estimated onset times to prevent overuse and As usual strict ID policies will be enforced to prevent anyone under age from consuming State law also ensures that cities and towns across the state will get to opt-in to allowing social consumption Municipalities will make this decision for themselves through a ballot referendum or a municipal by-law or ordinance change We hope cities and towns will consider welcoming these new businesses with the safeguards we re planning to put in place And there s still more to come As we undertake the process of finalizing these regulations the Commission is looking for input from consumers businesses municipal leaders healthcare and safety personnel and people who may have voted either for or against legalizing adult-use cannabis We concluded an informal inhabitants comment period in January but will be scheduling a formal population hearing and comment period on the draft regulations soon After working on this issue with former commissioner Nurys Camargo our group and the a large number of stakeholders we have engaged I know Massachusetts is ready for the next phase of regulated cannabis and to be a leader in operating safe social consumption venues on the East Coast The Commission has demonstrated its ability to regulate the existing industry with more than businesses and counting that have been approved to operate by recalling unsafe products fining licensees that flout regulations and issuing safety bulletins to protect industry employees On-site social consumption is ongoing in other states with adult-use cannabis and we see this as the natural progression for Massachusetts effectively regulated industry Social consumption will help reduce lingering stigma around adult consumption in social settings create alternatives to illegal consumption in general and open added pathways for entrepreneurs to take part in our billion industry for the first time Bruce Stebbins is Acting Chair of the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission