Massachusetts Officials Approve Rules Allowing Marijuana Social Consumption Lounges To Open

Massachusetts marijuana regulators have unanimously approved rules to license
and regulate cannabis social consumption lounges in the state.

Members of the Cannabis Control Commission (CCC) on Thursday voted 4-0 to
approve the rule, which was unveiled over the summer.

The rules create three new license types related to social consumption: One
would let existing dispensaries build upon their business by allowing
marijuana use at their facilities, another would permit “hospitality”
services by non-cannabis businesses such as cafes and theaters and another
would create an “event organizer” category for entities wishing to allow
marijuana consumption at events such as music festivals.

“The Commonwealth has been eagerly waiting social consumption, so we’re
proud to move this effort across the finish line,” Shannon O’Brien, chair
of the commission, said in a press release. “We look forward to the
economic opportunities these new license types will offer to small
businesses and entrepreneurs who have been disproportionately harmed by the
War on Drugs.”

Bruce Stebbins, co-chair of the CCC social consumption working group, said
the finalized regulatory package “reflects years of stakeholder engagement,
research, and policy discussion and deliberation.”

“Next steps will include ongoing engagement with municipalities that must
opt-in to hosting social consumption and educating residents to ensure the
Commonwealth is prepared for this expansion of our $8 billion regulated
cannabis industry,” he said.

The enactment of the policy makes Massachusetts the first state in New
England to allow cannabis social consumption facilities to open.

Today Commissioners voted unanimously to approve three new license types
that will allow the on-site consumption of cannabis in Massachusetts for
the first time. Learn about the final policies and next steps here:
https://t.co/tsE2Wlggtb

— Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission (@MA_Cannabis) December 11, 2025

Kimberly Roy, another member of the commission, said the vote to advance
the package “marks a long-awaited and carefully considered milestone for
Massachusetts’ regulated cannabis industry.”

“By finalizing the Social Consumption license-type, the Commission is
honoring the will of the voters who envisioned safe, legal spaces for
adult-use cannabis, while maintaining strong safeguards to protect public
health and public safety,” she said. “This achievement represents years of
collaboration among stakeholders, policymakers, and communities across the
Commonwealth.”

However, she added, the vote on Thursday “does not conclude the
Commission’s work; it begins a new chapter of consumer and public education
to ensure this emerging sector operates safely and responsibly.”

Commissioner Carrie Benedon said the “finalization of these social
consumption reforms represents a significant milestone for legal cannabis
in the Commonwealth.”

“Commissioners and staff have put significant thought and care into
crafting a program that will provide economic opportunities for equity
participants and small businesses while emphasizing public health and
safety,” she said.

Travis Ahern, executive director of CCC, said the social consumption
license option “offers the Commonwealth significant regional tourism
opportunities, safe spaces for those who cannot consume cannabis at home,
the ongoing transition of legacy operators to the legal market,” he said.
“Commission staff have worked hard to support the creation of each license
type, and we’re excited to get to work setting up the internal
infrastructure that will enable these new businesses to serve Massachusetts
residents.”

The policy change around social consumption lounges comes amid a push by
anti-legalization activists to put an initiative on the ballot next year
that would roll back the state’s adult-use legalization law.

An association of Massachusetts marijuana businesses recently urged voters
to tell local officials about any cases of misleading signature gathering
tactics and “fraudulent messaging” by the campaign behind that effort.

There have been allegations piling up that petitioners working on behalf of
Coalition for a Healthy Massachusetts have shared false information about
what the measure would accomplish—with claims that paid petitioners have
used fake cover letters for other ballot measures on issues like affordable
housing and same-day voter registration. The state attorney general’s
office has confirmed it’s received complaints to that end, but the
campaign has denied sanctioning such activities.

Under proposed initiative, adults 21 and older could still possess up to an
ounce of cannabis, only five grams of which could be a marijuana
concentrate product. Possession of more than one ounce but less than two
ounces would be effectively decriminalized, with violators subject to a
$100 fine. Adults could also continue to gift cannabis between each other
without remuneration.

But provisions in the state’s voter-approved marijuana law that allow for
commercial cannabis retailers and access to regulated products by adults
would be repealed under the proposal. Adults’ right to cultivate cannabis
at home would also be repealed. The medical cannabis program would remain
intact, however.

Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell’s (D) office—which cleared
the campaign for signature gathering in September—has stressed to voters
the importance of reading their summary, which is required to go at the top
of the signature form, before signing any petitions.

Meanwhile, the head of Massachusetts’s marijuana regulatory agency recently
suggested that the measure to effectively recriminalize recreational
cannabis sales could imperil tax revenue that’s being used to support
substance misuse treatment efforts and other public programs.

Whether the cannabis measures make the cut is yet to be seen. Voters
approved legalization at the ballot in 2016, with sales launching two years
later. And the past decade has seen the market evolve and expand. As of
August, Massachusetts officials reported more than $8 billion in adult-use
marijuana sales.

Last month, the Massachusetts Senate approved a bill that would double the
legal marijuana possession limit for adults and revise the regulatory
framework for the state’s adult-use cannabis market. Similar legislation
also advanced through the House earlier this year.


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Separately, CCC recently launched an online platform aimed at helping
people find jobs, workplace training and networking opportunities in the
state’s legal cannabis industry.

State lawmakers have also been considering setting tighter restrictions on
intoxicating hemp-derived products and a plan to allow individual entities
to control a larger number of cannabis establishments.

Also in Massachusetts, legislators who were working on a state budget
butted heads with CCC officials, who’ve said they can’t make critical
technology improvements without more money from the legislature.

Massachusetts lawmakers additionally approved a bill to establish a pilot
program for the regulated therapeutic use of psychedelics. And two
committees have separately held hearings to discuss additional
psilocybin-related measures.

*Photo courtesy of Martin Alonso.*

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Consumption Lounges To Open appeared first on Marijuana Moment.