In November 2016, Massachusetts voters passed Question 4, resulting in the adoption of Chapter 334 of the Acts of 2016, making the possession and personal cultivation of marijuana legal for all adults 21 years of age and older and creating a regulatory system to license for-profit, adult-use, marijuana businesses. The Massachusetts legislature immediately set out to revise that law, and on July 28, 2017, Governor Baker signed Chapter 55 of the Acts of 2017, amending the adult-use law passed by the voters. Under the framework of the revised law, adult-use marijuana businesses are licensed by a five-member administrative body known as the Cannabis Control Commission (the “Commission”), which promulgated the regulations, guidelines, and protocols necessary for the issuance of adult-use marijuana business licenses on March 23, 2018. Adult-use marijuana sales are taxed at 20% (10.75% excise tax, 6.25% sales tax, and a 3% local option excise tax).

For additional information on the Adult-Use of Marijuana Program, visit the Commission’s website:

https://mass-cannabis-control.com/