Press Release: 4/14/2026
Legislature passes bill to reform Cannabis Control Commission
The House and Senate on April 9 passed a comprehensive bill to overhaul the Cannabis Control Commission, the state agency that administers the medical and adult-use marijuana laws in Massachusetts.
The bill has been sent to the governor for her consideration.
The result of more than a month of negotiations between the branches, the bill (H. 5350) would reduce the size of the CCC from five members to three, all of whom would be appointed by the governor.
The bill includes an emergency preamble, meaning it would take effect immediately after being signed by the governor, who would then have 30 days to appoint the three commissioners.
The CCC’s executive director would stay until the new CCC chair appoints a new director. The bill specifies that the executive director would report to the chair of the commission.
The bill also would raise the cap on licenses that can be held by a licensee, from three to six, and raise the percentage of equity a person may hold in a cannabis business — from 10% to 20% — before it is considered ownership for purposes of the license cap.
The final bill does not include the House version’s regulations around hemp-derived products, but directs the CCC to study the issue and make recommendations.
The bill would increase the amount of cannabis a person can purchase and possess for recreational use from one ounce to two. It would also remove the vertical integration requirement for medical marijuana, meaning that medical marijuana licensees would no longer be required to grow and process the marijuana they sell.
The bill includes Senate-drafted provisions to allow delivery of cannabis to all municipalities. Communities that do not allow retail sales and do not want to allow delivery of cannabis would need to apply for a two-year waiver from the CCC.
Finally, the bill directs the CCC to study the effects of the current marijuana excise tax on business and consumers.