State renews Cultivate's cannabis license
Photo | Courtesy
Cultivate's Leicester facility
Cultivate, the Leicester cannabis grower and retailer, has had its licenses renewed by the state despite hesitancy from some commissioners.
The Cannabis Control Commission voted unanimously Wednesday to renew the company's cultivation license and 4-1 to renew its retail license. Opposing the renewal was Jennifer Flanagan, a former Leominster legislator who said she remained concerned about health and safety violations that came to light in June.
"I have grave concerns about how this entity has been operating in Massachusetts," Flanagan said. "They do need to understand that we're taking this seriously."
The commission fined Cultivate $75,000 last month for what it said was hundreds of improperly labeled products. The state's investigation into customer complaints at Cultivate remains ongoing.
Commissioner Kay Doyle also expressed concern but voted in favor of renewing the license for Cultivate, which was one of the first two recreational cannabis shops to open in Massachusetts last November.
"I do think it is possible for us to move forward with the renewal but encourage a tight eye on what is happening," Doyle said.
Cultivate's license to grow marijuana was renewed unanimously but came with stipulations that the company provide the state more details on a required diversity and positive impact plans, which the state says are meant to promote and encourage full participation in the industry by those from communities disproportionately harmed by marijuana prohibition and enforcement.
As one of the earliest operators in the state's legal cannabis industry, Cultivate and others had less of a sense of what to include in such plans, Commissioner Shaleen Title said. Subsequent operators have improved as they've gotten a better sense for it, she said.
"The progress that they've shown is robust, and they took it really seriously," Title said.
Francy Wade, a spokeswoman for Cultivate, issued a statement after the renewal: “We are honored to have our license renewed and, as always, our focus is conducting our operations in accordance with all regulations and serving patients first. We are committed to delivering a positive, safe and educational experience to help improve the quality of life of our patients and to delight our recreational customers.”
The commission also approved license renewals for SIRA Naturals of Milford, which has a cultivation facility for retail shops, and New England Treatment Access' cultivation facility in Franklin.
WBJ Web Partners
Most Recent
Most Recent
0 Comments