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Massachusetts Issues Its First License For Marijuana Research Facility

WORCESTER, MA — The first license for a cannabis research facility in Massachusetts was issued recently, according to the state’s Cannabis Control Commission (CCC).

The state regulators announced that they had unanimously approved the application of Curaleaf Processing to operate a marijuana research lab in Newton.  The facility was inspected by enforcement staff in September and found to be in full compliance with state requirements.  After administrative approval for any submitted Research Permit applications, Curaleaf Processing Inc. must then pass a final license inspection before being authorized to begin operations and research projects.

The CCC said the granting of the license marks continued progress towards greater understanding of the safety and applicability of regulated marijuana products through science.

“We are excited to move the state’s first-ever Research Facility license forward in the hopes that it will contribute to a safer regulated cannabis industry, rooted in science,” said Acting Chair Bruce Stebbins. “This licensee has worked diligently over the last two years to bring this facility to the Commonwealth, and we look forward to the work their team will accomplish after their receipt of a research permit.”

The license allows any academic institution, nonprofit or commercial business to conduct a specified research study over a certain period of time.

“There is still so much to explore when it comes to cannabis policy – whether we are considering implications for public health and safety, medical uses, or the impacts of prohibition,” said Commissioner Nurys Camargo. “While this licensee may be the first Research Facility to reach this point in the Commonwealth, it is my hope that others push on through the process and continue expanding our cannabis knowledge.”

Massachusetts is one of five states in the nation with legalized cannabis that offer research licenses, including New York, Connecticut, Washington, and Colorado. Only fifteen cannabis research licenses have been granted nationwide, and just ten of those are active.

“As long as marijuana remains a Schedule I substance, it is important that states like ours continue to innovate and pursue opportunities for research despite the barriers that may exist,” said Commissioner Ava Callender Concepcion. “I’m thrilled to see this licensee moving forward, and we are excited for the day when we can announce that their research efforts have officially begun.”

Curaleaf, which operates in 19 states, has four licensed dispensaries in Massachusetts, as well as licenses for cultivation and processing in both the medical and adult-use markets.

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