Marijuana Business Magazine November December 2018

Massachusetts State Attorney General Maura Healey reversed a decision that allowed municipalities to prohibit MMJ dispensaries. Massachusetts passed a medical marijuana law in 2012 that included a provision prohibiting cities and towns from banning MMJ dispensaries. But in 2016, voters passed a recreational marijuana law that included a provision that governments in Bellingham and Northborough interpreted as allowing them to ban both recreational marijuana stores and MMJ dispensaries. The attorney general’s office initially agreed with the interpretation, but Margaret Hurley, head of the Municipal Law Unit in the AG’s office, wrote in a letter to local government officials: “Upon further review, we now determine that this approval was given in error.” Michigan The state House overwhelmingly approved legislation to prohibit the use, possession or sale of cannabis- infused beer, wine, liquor and mixed drinks. Gov. Rick Snyder was expected to sign the measure, which would make Michigan the latest state to nix booze and cannabis. In July, California’s Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control issued a memo spelling out its current stance that infused alcoholic beverages of any stripe – whether infused with THC, CBD or basically any cannabinoids – are prohibited. 26 • Marijuana Business Magazine • November/December 2018