Since 54% of Massachusetts voters in 2016 approved of recreational cannabis legalization in a ballot initiative, the legal adult-use industry has generated more than $3 billion in sales. The state Cannabis Control Commission has approved more than 400 marijuana business licenses.
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When I was in high school and college, I was something of an anti-marijuana advocate. I never attended a rally or anything that intense, but among my friends and family, I would often scold them against using cannabis: Illegal means illegal, and we should have faith our politicians and police had used the best scientific evidence and had society’s best interest at heart when they declared marijuana to be on par with heroin.
My friends’ arguments that cannabis produced a much more mellow high without the hangover of alcohol (which I regularly consumed before I turned the legal age of 21) fell on my deaf, self-righteous ears.
Now, two decades later, I realize they were right, and I might not have been the most pleasant person to be around. The marijuana boogeyman isn’t real. Since the sale of cannabis became legal and widely available in Massachusetts, I’ve been an occasional user of edibles. My life hasn’t descended into madness, it hasn’t been a gateway to harsher drugs, and I haven’t delved into a life of crime to support my use. The main side effects are that I giggle a lot and make interesting food choices. I think my wife might actually prefer my personality when I’m high.
I haven’t been the only one who has come around on marijuana. Since 54% of Massachusetts voters in 2016 approved of recreational cannabis legalization in a ballot initiative, the legal adult-use industry has generated more than $3 billion in sales. The state Cannabis Control Commission has approved more than 400 marijuana business licenses. When WBJ first held its Business of Cannabis event in 2019, the concept was novel and felt somewhat illicit, even if it wasn’t. This year, that same event feels just like any other industry-specific gathering, like the Manufacturing Excellence Summit & Awards or the Health Care Forum.
In this edition, Staff Writer Katherine Hamilton explores in her “Lifting the cannabis ban” story how attitudes toward marijuana business have changed in the past six years, particularly through one dispensary’s journey in Southbridge. On page 14, Staff Writer Alexander MacDougall examines in his “How proposed cannabis laws seek to bring more equity to industry” story how the Massachusetts legislature is seeking to straighten out some of the problems the industry has faced since the regulatory framework was created in 2017, especially trying to create more social equity in the system.
The industry is trying to right the wrongs of the past while creating a vibrant future. Marijuana is here to stay, and that’s a good thing.
