The Cannabis Control Commission (CCC) is moving forward with finalizing regulations that would allow adults to use marijuana in designated social settings, with a vote on the final rules expected by the end of July.
Despite the final vote expected to come next month, CCC Acting Chairman Bruce Stebbins emphasized during a Tuesday meeting that no part of the draft regulations is locked in.
The commission held a policy discussion this week aimed at guiding the final version of rules for social consumption licenses, which have been in development for months. Stebbins said the meeting was meant to help shape an “updated framework and draft regulations for us to consider,” leading up to a potential vote in the last week of July.
“As a reminder… nothing in this draft form to start the promulgation process is a fait accompli,” Stebbins said. “Our work here today is intended to answer some bigger policy questions that will guide some of the changes for all of us to come back and consider at the end of July.”
The current draft is a revision of an earlier version released in December. One change already made is the removal of a proposed provision that would have allowed medical marijuana patients to receive or use their medication at social consumption sites. Stebbins said that idea was cut due to “a lack of support for this part of the framework and concern by possible licensees.”
Social consumption venues were part of the voter-approved law that legalized marijuana in 2016, but the CCC postponed implementation to prioritize launching retail sales. The proposed framework now includes three types of licenses: a supplemental license for existing marijuana businesses to allow on-site consumption, a hospitality license for consumption at businesses like yoga studios or theaters, and an event organizer license for temporary use at gatherings such as festivals and rallies.
