Getting into the Cannabis Business in the Northeast. Where does the law stand?
Cannabis is clearly making its way across the country albeit at different paces. The West Coast has been at the forefront of legalizing and monetizing the marijuana industry. As old stigmas about the plant evaporate and more benefits are realized, investors, businessmen and smokers from the east coast, in particular the Northeast region are clamoring for an opportunity to cultivate and monetize on an industry that will pay enormous dividends. These people also are monitoring the law to get a better understanding on when adult, recreational marijuana use will become legalized. Let’s take a look at where the law stands in the Northeast Region:
Maine: Adults may now grow, gift and possess cannabis at their leisure, however cannabis is not being sold in stores until sometime early 2019. Voters approved adult-use legalization in November 2016. The medical marijuana program has existed in since 1998.
Medical: Yes Recreational: Yes Retail: No
New Hampshire: In July 2013, Gov. Maggie Hassan signed a bill into law that introduced a medical cannabis program. The plant was “decriminalized”in 2017 by a bill that reduces penalties for possessing three quarters of an ounce or less of cannabis from a criminal misdemeanor to a civil violation punishable only by a fine. As of now a limited recreational legalization bill was sent into “interim study” by the House in March 2018 thus it’s safe to assume recreational use will come within the next a couple of years.
Medical: Yes Recreational: No Retail: No
Vermont: In January, 2018, Governor Phil Scott signed in a bill that legalized the possession and the limited cultivation of cannabis by adults who are 21 and over. Possession and limited cultivation in Vermont Law means one who legally possesses up to one ounce of marijuana and can grow up to two mature marijuana plants and four immature marijuana plants per housing unit.
Medical: Yes Recreational: Yes (Limited) Retail: No
Massachusetts: In November 2016, legislation was approved to allow adult use cannabis consumption. In Massachusetts, before a business can make a recreational sale the Cannabis Control Commission first must issue a license for a independent testing laboratory. The first testing license was issued in late August. The newly launched adult-use cannabis market in Massachusetts hit $2.6 million in sales during the second week of sales, according to figures released by the state’s Cannabis Control Commission. Since the two retail operations Cultivate in Leicester and New England Treatment Access in Northampton opened for the first legal recreational pot sales in the state back on Nov. 20, there has been just over $4.8 million in sales, according to the commission.
Medical: Yes Recreational: Yes Retail: Yes
Rhode Island
Rhode Island has a medical dispensary program which added PTSD and hospice to causes or conditions that would make a person eligible for access. In regards to recreational use a legislative commission was formed in 2017 to evaluate the impacts of legalizing marijuana recreationally and will release a report by February 2019. The governor is also seeking to expand the medical marijuana program and increase the Compassion Centers permits from 3 to 12.
Medical: Yes Recreational: No Retail: No
Connecticut
As of now six recreational legalization bills were introduced in the 2018 legislative session. Connecticut already has a robust medical marijuana foundation. Hospitals, universities, and licensed medical marijuana dispensaries and producers can apply for the medical marijuana research program. Nurses may now also dispense marijuana. These are all signs that recreational marijuana is imminent.
Medical: Yes Recreational: No Retail: No
New York
Unfortunately, New York does not seem to be close in regards to legalizing recreational marijuana use. Even the medical marijuana program is prehistoric as doctor participation is limited and product availability is scarce. Smoking is not permitted and the regulations prohibit edibles. Recently, the NYPD began issuing tickets for people who smoke marijuana in public instead of arresting them.
Medical: Yes Recreational: No Retail: No
New Jersey
New Jersey has an established and expensive medical dispensary program and the state has also added five new qualifying debilitating medical conditions were also added. Gov. Phil Murphy is pushing hard to get the plant legalized for recreational use and it looks like it is coming soon.
Medical: Yes Recreational: No Retail: No
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania is one of the lasts states to begin allowing medical marijuana use, doing so in April 2016. The first medical marijuana dispensary opened its doors on May 30, 2018. Flower is not allowed, nor are pre-made edibles (that is, patients can make their own edibles from products purchased at a dispensary, but not stores may not sell edibles.) This is a big step but Pennsylvania seems to be a bit far from recreational use.
Medical: Yes Recreational: No Retail: No
Delaware
Delaware has a vertical integration medical marijuana program meaning that dispensaries must grow everything they sell themselves. Additional qualifying medical conditions such as glaucoma, chronic debilitating migraines, pediatric autism spectrum disorder, and pediatric sensory processing disorder are in proposal.
Medical: Yes Recreational: No Retail: No
Maryland
Maryland seems to be moving in a recreational direction. Over 50 dispensary licenses have been issued in the medical marijuana program. New legislation now allows dentists, podiatrists, nurse midwives, and nurse practitioners to provide written cannabis certifications.
Medical: Yes Recreational: No Retail: No
D.C.
In 2014 Washington, D.C., passed Initiative 71, granting all citizens over the age of 21 permission to possess up to two ounces of marijuana. The law allows district residents to use and grow pot on private property, and to exchange weed as long as no money, goods or services are exchanged. You also can’t drive and smoke. Recreational stores should be logically coming soon.
Medical: Yes Recreational: No Retail: No
Outlook: Massachusetts marks the first state with an important city in the Northeast that has legalized the sale of marijuana. As noted above there has been just over $4.8 million in sales in just two weeks with only two physical locations to purchase the plant. As more businesses in the state get licensed, it is crucial to follow the revenue that will be generated from the product. Weed revenue is expected to reach nearly $25 billion by 2021. Cannabis is now legal in eight states plus DC for recreational use, and 29 states plus DC for medicinal use.
Yesterday was the perfect time to invest in the marijuana industry but now is a perfect time to pay attention in the Northeast. In places like D.C. where you can grow your own strands, start thinking about creative branding and interesting strands that could set your product apart. In addition, continue to monitor legislation in New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania. It looks as if New Jersey is close. The top lawmakers in the state Legislature scrapped a plan to vote on Oct. 29 on a bill to legalize recreational marijuana in New Jersey because they remain at odds with Gov. Phil Murphy over what the law should say. Last month, committees for both the state’s Senate and Assembly voted in favor of advancing a modified version of the Cannabis Regulatory and Expungement Aid Modernization Act which would legalize recreational marijuana for people at least 21 years old, with a 12 percent tax on the commercial cannabis industry in the state. Additionally, as many as 25 percent of the state’s cannabis licenses would be set aside for minorities who live in the state so that they can open micro-businesses in the industry.
While the northeast remains a bit behind, Massachusetts is leading the pack with their retail locations. If you have an interest in opening a legal marijuana business, keep in mind some of the compliance and statutory requirements that might exist in a particular jurisdiction. For instance, in Colorado, the application fee for a medical marijuana dispensary can cost as much as $15,000 and certain states and towns have a limited number of dispensary licenses available. In addition, getting licensed in your state will likely require at the minimum an:
Via https://cannasafesolutions.com/blogs/training/dispensary-licenses-2018
If you are interested in investing or running your own marijuana operation, the work starts now. Start researching other states licensing requirements and safety regulations as well understanding all the costs that could be associated with selling marijuana legally. Recreational use by way of retail is coming to the Northeast so right now is the perfect time to learn the game.
Getting into the Cannabis Business in the Northeast. Where does the law stand?
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