ISSUE XI
Cultivator's Cup, New CCC Chair, and more!
Welcome to the 11th edition of Burn After Reading! This is my newsletter on cannabis (and other things). You can check out last week’s issue here.
In this week’s Cannabis Confidential, I highlighted the latest cannabis event to come to Worcester.
The Cultivator’s Cup will be held this weekend outside the Palladium in downtown Worcester. If you’re interested in attending, you can find more details here.
Almost four months after CCC Chair Steve Hoffman abruptly stepped down, the Commission has a new leader: Former treasurer and gubernatorial candidate Shannon O’Brien.
Dan Adams of the Globe did a breakdown of the appointment, including some interesting tidbits about who else applied for the position.
What are O’Brien’s thoughts on legalizing marijuana or how cannabis should be regulated? Good question! As far as I’ve been able to determine, she had never spoken about the issue in public before her appointment.
EDIT (9/3): Perhaps I spoke too soon! While O’Brien had previously quiet about the topic of cannabis in public, it was relieved yesterday that she was a consultant for two cannabis businesses who were seeking licenses with the state. CommonWealth Mag has the full story.
On one hand, I’m hesitant to instantly dump a bucket of cold water on this selection. After all, I was pretty disappointed when Steve Hoffman was chosen as the original chair, but he managed to exceed my expectations and do a pretty good job of handling the role — despite having zero cannabis experience and the fact that he voted against the ballot initiative to legalize.
On the other hand, this pick screams of political favoritism, as State Treasurer Goldberg picked someone she has previously worked with over a number of other qualified candidates. With the Commission about to undergo a regulatory review and about to assist with the state’s launch of the Social Equity Fund, there’s a lot on the line here.
O’Brien’s first public meeting as the new chair of the Commission is currently scheduled for September 15th.
Workers at Boston-based dispensary Ascend announced that they voted to unionize last week. The workers will be joining Teamsters Local 25, making them the first to cannabis dispensary workers in New England to join the IBT.
Previously, the UFCW had been the only union working with cannabis workers in the area.
“This is a huge win for workers at Ascend and for the labor movement in New England,” said Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien, a Massachusetts native who was elected in 2021 after former President James P. Hoffa decided not to run for another term. “Right now, the cannabis industry is one of the most lucrative industries out there, with companies pocketing billions of dollars. Cannabis workers in Boston and across the nation deserve fair wages, to be treated with respect, and to have a voice on the job.”
Cannabis workers who are interested in discussing unionization with the IBT can contact them here.
Cannabis delivery operators in Massachusetts have unveiled a petition that calls on the Cannabis Control Commission to make a number of changes to regulations that govern their businesses. This includes getting rid of a rule that requires two employees be in any vehicle transporting cannabis, as well as axing a rule that prevents delivery operators from delivering to any homes that are located in municipalities with a retail cannabis ban.
The Parabola Center (former CCC Commissioner Shaleen Title’s cannabis think tank) has a new newsletter. You can sign up for it at the bottom of the page here.
I came across this interesting graph produced by twitter user @cashflow_free that shows the financial situations of the 37 largest publicly-traded cannabis companies.
Even if have no interest in pot stocks or MSOs, it’s a pretty useful reference guide to understanding the state of the industry.
(If you’re having trouble seeing the details of the graph on your device, you should be able to find a version where you can zoom in here.)
Some quick hits:
Cannabis researchers say it’s high time to drop ‘lazy stoner’ stereotype (Hannah Devlin/The Guardian)
Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission begins application process for medical cannabis businesses (Keith Lane/NBC15)
[Boston] proposal would remove ZBA role in cannabis permitting (Seth Daniel/Dorchester Reporter)
Judge dismisses two lawsuits challenging Detroit's recreational marijuana ordinance (Adrienne Roberts/Detroit Free Press)
Canada business leaders note ‘lost opportunity’ for cannabis in Trudeau-Scholz meeting (Matt Lamers/MJBizDaily)
Upcoming New England / virtual cannabis events:
9/3 + 9/4: 2nd Annual Cultivator’s Cup.
Palladium Outdoors, Worcester. 2PM-10PM. Tickets.
9/6 - 9/8: 5th International Cannabinoid-Derived Pharmaceuticals Summit.
The Westin Seaport, Boston. Tickets.
WELCOME DISTRACTION OF THE WEEK: I’ve enjoyed the first two episodes of the TV documentary Welcome to Wrexham, which follows Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mcelhenney as they attempt to run a lower level soccer team in Wales.
Welcome to Wrexham is airing on FX and is also available to stream on Hulu.
CAT PICTURE OF THE WEEK: It’s been a whopping 10 issues since I’ve featured my own cat here. So here’s a few recent shots of Brockton.
