The Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission (CCC) website has been down for at least two days, exacerbating concerns that have been building for weeks within the agency.
The outage has disrupted access to key resources, including the open data portal where the state typically posts monthly marijuana sales data, as well as information on applications and licensing for the marijuana industry.
In addition to the website outage, the CCC has not provided an update of the state’s marijuana sales data since June 30, leaving a gap of over two months. This is a significant deviation from the commission’s usual practice of providing monthly sales reports, often supplemented with weekly updates. The lack of timely reporting has raised concerns among stakeholders about transparency and the agency’s ability to fulfill its regulatory responsibilities.
The commission has been mired in controversy recently, with internal conflicts and leadership disputes coming to light. Commissioner Kimberly Roy has publicly called for a forensic audit of the agency, citing concerns about the integrity of its operations. This request follows the recent departure of two commission members, which has further destabilized the agency.
Those trying to access the CCC’s website have been hit with this message for the past two days.
The website outage comes at a critical time for the CCC, as it struggles to maintain its regulatory role amidst internal discord, and calls from some lawmakers to put the group into receivership. Stakeholders, including businesses and consumers, have been left in the dark as the commission’s challenges continue to mount.
