Public Law

What Cities and Towns Need to Know About the New Cannabis Regulations

The Cannabis Control Commission is coming out with new regulations and it appears that there are two significant potential changes of which municipalities should be aware.

1. Home delivery will become available in some places.

If municipality city or town allows retail sales (even if there are none currently in operation) or if it notifies the CCC that delivery may operate within its borders, the CCC may issue a Delivery license for that location.  The “Delivery-Only” license will allow companies to deliver cannabis products to consumers’ homes. Consumers will have to verify their age and identities with the retailers, not the delivery companies, before ordering any cannabis products.  Delivery companies will also be required to have vehicle and body cameras filming the deliveries.

If a city or town has voted not to allow recreational cannabis sales, then the default will be that delivery is not allowed.  The city or town would have to take affirmative action in order to allow deliveries. .

2. The CCC wants to start a pilot program for cannabis cafés.

A cannabis café is a retail establishment where consumers 21 years or older will be able to purchase and consume cannabis products on-site.  The “cannabis café” licenses will be rolled out in a pilot program of up to 12 communities.  For the first two years, the licenses will be limited to certain applicants, including small, locally-owned businesses and minority-owned companies.  This pilot program will not get off the ground, however, until there is a change in state law allowing social consumption.

Please reach out to any of the Public Law attorneys here at Anderson & Kreiger if you would like more information on this, or any other public law, topic.