By Peter Johnson
Boston University Statehouse Program
The owners of Wonderland Cannabis, which serves much of the Worcester community, are concerned about the new legislation awaiting the governor’s signature that would change marijuana regulations in Massachusetts.
“I’m very passionate about cannabis,” said Eric St. Onge, who owns the Millbury-based retail dispensary with his wife Jackie. “I want my company to be a connoisseur market.”
He fears the changes approved by legislators might make it more difficult for his family to do that.
The bill would double the amount of cannabis that an adult can purchase, increase the number of retail licenses that one company can have from three to six, and change the Cannabis Control Commission among other changes.
Some of these changes excite St. Onge.
“The possession limit thing, I think that’s great,” he said. “Most people only use about a gram a day, which means with the current laws they must purchase cannabis every month,” he said. Increasing this amount would “save the consumer time and energy.”
He is also ready for social consumption licenses.
“I want people to be able to come in and try the product before they buy it,” he said. “Why should people have to hide in the confines of their own home to do something that’s legal,” adding he believes that social consumption would normalize cannabis, which would be beneficial for the industry.
There are still some concerns that both St. Onge and his wife have about these new rules, particularly the doubling of cannabis licenses, fearing larger companies that have the money will take advantage and be able to monopolize the whole industry.
“I love the idea of six licenses, but we don’t have the money to throw at them.”
According to the CCC, a product manufacturer license fee is $10,000 with an application fee of $1,500. St. Onge said that is something his business and others like it cannot afford.
St. Onge and his wife also commented on the changes happening in the CCC, criticizing the governor’s involvement in the process.
“It’s a horrible idea to have the governor involved,” they said. They believe that people in the industry should elect who’s on the CCC.
“People with cannabis knowledge get overlooked and don’t get called back when they apply for these jobs,” Jackie St. Onge said. “It’s unfair.”
Under the old law, the governor, treasurer and attorney general all named members to the five-member- commission with seats designated for people with experience in legal policy or social justice, substance misuse prevention and education.
The governor will have sole appointing authority for the new three-member panel, which must include someone with a background in social justice, public health, public safety, consumer regulations, or cannabis production.
The two owners are very passionate about their business, but are worried about the smaller companies that don’t have the money to stay afloat.
“It’s a struggle,” St. Onge said. “While I’m not concerned about going out of business right now, sometimes I wonder.”
The commission said in a statement that it “will continue to work closely with our partners in the Legislature once the new law takes effect and are ready to implement all changes to uphold the safety, effectiveness, and equity of Massachusetts’ legal cannabis industry.”
The bill is currently awaiting the governor’s signature. Under an emergency preamble attached to the bill, the changes will take effect immediately and the governor will have 30 days to name the membership.
The legislation was focused on improving oversight of the multi-billion dollar industry while seeking to end the often fractured relationships between commissioners and staff in the Worcester-based agency.
