Marijuana - The Boston Globe

Mass. marijuana has to be ultra-sterile. Just one problem: It’s a plant

Massachusetts cannabis regulators are considering loosening the state's strict microbe standard, after farmers complained the rules hurt small businesses and discourage sustainability.

Marijuana company sues Boston zoning board over rejection
New England Cannabis Corp. argues its proposed Brighton dispensary will be a good neighbor.

New Jersey governor signs laws to set up marijuana market
Legislation to set up a recreational marijuana marketplace, decriminalize cannabis, and loosen penalties for underage possession of the drug and alcohol was signed into law Monday by New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy.

Newton marijuana store seeks end to appointment-only rule, as nearby competition grows
Garden Remedies wants to be more competitive with stores in other nearby communities, said chief operating officer Jeff Herold.

Should psychedelic drugs be decriminalized in Mass.? Advocates see opening
Following the passage of a local measure in Somerville, advocates for decriminalizing psychedelic drugs are recruiting legislative allies for a statewide bill.

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The US House just voted to decriminalize marijuana — but timid Democrats don’t deserve an ovation

The US House made history Friday when members approved a bill effectively decriminalizing marijuana at the federal level. That matters, but the Democrat-led vote wasn't exactly a profile in courage.

More marijuana news

Northampton drops controversial fees on marijuana companies

Mayor David Narkewicz says local cannabis facilities simply haven't had much impact on his city.

Marijuana trade group drops lawsuit against state after backlash

The surprising turnaround came just days after the Commonwealth Dispensary Association sued state cannabis regulators and accused them of "radically upending the established rules."

2 years after legalizing cannabis, has Canada kept its promises?

Some key promises, and hopes, that came with Canada being the first industrialized nation to legalize marijuana remain unfulfilled.

Federal marijuana reform looms after Senate flip — and Massachusetts could end up a loser

Local cannabis operators eyeing the consequences of potential reforms see at least as much risk as reward.

The hidden titans of pot

Massachusetts legalized the sale of recreational marijuana with the ambition to be different — and better. But two years since the law went into effect, troubling signs loom. This three-part series uncovers stealth moves by large investors poised to dominate this nascent industry and outmaneuver regulators.

These companies test the limits — and brag about it

No firm is allowed to own or control more than three recreational marijuana stores. But two companies — Sea Hunter and Acreage — are testing the limits.

Inside one battle that could change the marijuana industry

The race to open Mattapan Square’s first pot shop raises questions about trust and who gets to cash in.

For sale in the pot industry: political influence

Marijuana may be the hot, new retail business in town, but it largely plays by the old political rules.

More coverage

Eight takeaways from the Spotlight series

Marijuana company’s expansion plans test Mass. law

Mass. regulators investigating whether companies violated license limits

Beyond Massachusetts, states struggle to limit marijuana behemoths

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Special Reports

The essential guide to buying and consuming pot in Massachusetts

Curious about legal weed but feeling a little intimidated about visiting a retail outlet? Our handy guide answers all of your questions so you can stock up with confidence.

These are the most common questions marijuana budtenders get asked

‘My life came crashing down overnight’: How one Boston-area woman nearly died from vaping

A 33-year-old veterinary technician thought she could trust her dealer’s legitimate-looking vapes to help her relax and treat her migraines. Instead, she ended up hospitalized for two weeks.

FROM GLOBE OPINION: I nearly died from vaping, and you could too

Welcome to Big Marijuana’s factory floor

Inside the headquarters of Canada's Canopy Growth Corp., the world’s largest marijuana company that critics call the "Walmart of Weed." (Video by Caitlin Healy/Globe Staff)

Inside the Walmart of Weed: From rural Canada, Big Marijuana seeks to dominate global market

At 89, legendary psychiatrist and marijuana advocate still wonders about Harvard professorship

Marijuana activists say Dr. Lester Grinspoon, the author of "Marijuana Reconsidered," was unfairly denied a full professorship at Harvard Medical School twice because of his views about cannabis.

Lester Grinspoon, Harvard psychiatrist and early champion of marijuana reforms, dies at 92

Latest marijuana headlines

Healey appoints new commissioner to Mass. marijuana agency
Ava Callender Concepcion will fill the final vacant seat on Cannabis Control Commission, capping a period of turnover.

Study: smoking pot raises level of harmful chemicals in body but smoking tobacco is more harmful
Marijuana smoking can raise levels of potentially harmful chemicals in someone’s body, but to a lesser extent than tobacco smoking, according to a new study from researchers at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the CDC.

Q&A with outgoing cannabis commissioner Shaleen Title
Title dishes on her evolution from activist to official, and her frustrations with the Legislature.

RI BUSINESS
Medical marijuana’s future in R.I.? It may turn on more than a high-stakes lottery
More than two dozen entities enlisted a sitting mayor, several former state lawmakers, and a phalanx of prominent lobbyists as they prepared their applications to open six compassion centers.

COVID can’t cancel canna-Christmas
People say marijuana’s fading stigma means they’re more likely than ever to be swapping joints, marijuana flower, and edibles as gifts with friends and colleagues, especially those under 40.

Rockland gives green light to a fourth marijuana business
The town of Rockland has approved its fourth marijuana business, a medical and recreational outlet on Hingham Street that local officials anticipate will provide hundreds of thousands of dollars to the town.

This high-end furniture is designed to secure your cannabis
A Wisconsin-based designer is making pieces that keep pot locked away and control odor, too.

Two new commissioners tapped for Massachusetts marijuana agency
The new appointments will become effective on January 1.

Chief of staff to ex-mayor of Fall River pleads guilty to extortion, bribery charges
Authorities say Genoveva Andrade, 49, of Somerset, admitted in court to conspiring with former Fall River mayor Jasiel Correia in extorting $150,000 from a marijuana vendor in exchange for a letter of nonopposition from Correia.

Marijuana found concealed in shampoo bottle at Logan Airport Friday
Transportation Security Administration officers stopped a Logan International Airport passenger who tried to conceal marijuana in a shampoo bottle Friday afternoon, officials said Monday.

Founders hope Chelsea marijuana store will be an engine of opportunity
Chelsea’s first recreational marijuana shop hopes it can do more for the city than simply meeting the local demand for cannabis.

Legislature extends a lifeline to Massachusetts hemp farmers
A new law would let Massachusetts marijuana dispensaries stock local hemp products, creating a lucrative new market for a crop whose economic potential has been hamstrung by a knot of state and federal rules.

Cannabis commission locks in marijuana delivery rules
The vote on an aggressive pro-equity policy came as turnover looms at the young state agency.

House votes to decriminalize marijuana at federal level
The Democratic-controlled House on Friday approved a bill to decriminalize and tax marijuana at the federal level, reversing what supporters called a failed policy of criminalization of pot use and taking steps to address racial disparities in enforcement of federal drug laws.

UN agency removes cannabis from strictest drug category
The UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs voted Wednesday to remove cannabis and cannabis resin from a category of the world’s most dangerous drugs, which could impact the global medical marijuana industry.

Rhode Map
Coming soon to a college in Rhode Island: Cannabis 101
The Bachelors of Science program will combine cannabis science and business entrepreneurship.

Two sons of Boston were arrested for marijuana. Now they plan to open Hyde Park’s first legal cannabis shop
Once punished for their passion for cannabis, former Boston firefighter Sean Berte and Roxbury activist Armani White have now teamed up to run the first legal marijuana store in Hyde Park.

COMFORT ZONE
A local meal kit service is selling CBD-infused pies to pair with your Thanksgiving dinner
CBD is said to provide benefits for stress relief and better sleep, and for those navigating the upcoming holiday in quarantine, it could be a welcome addition to the dessert table.

Boston approves new marijuana stores near Boston College and Berklee, overriding objections from schools
The Boston Cannabis Board has approved six new stores, including near Boston College and the Berklee College of Music.

Dozens of workers at Brookline marijuana dispensary forced to quarantine, limiting orders
At least 30 workers have been asked to self-quarantine after being exposed to two employees who tested positive for the coronavirus.