BOSTON — Recreational marijuana sales are set to begin in Massachusetts next week, according to the state.
The Cannabis Control Commission made the announcement on Friday afternoon.
In a press release, the CCC is "urging adults who will enter stores for the first time to know the law and consume responsibly."
The release was sent out by the CCC at 4:20 p.m., a date and time famous among pot smokers.
Commission Chairman Steven J. Hoffman, however, said the timing was not intentional.
“That’s purely the way it worked and there was no target in terms of day of the week or time of the day," Hoffman said.
The Commission has authorized Cultivate Holdings, LLC ion Leicester and New England Treatment Access, LLC in Northampton to start selling marijuana and marijuana products within three calendar days. This will allow for shops to coordinate opening day logistics with their communities, local law enforcement and others before sales begin.
“This signal to open retail marijuana establishments marks a major milestone for voters who approved legal, adult-use cannabis in our state,” Hoffman said. “To get here, licensees underwent thorough background checks, passed multiple inspections, and had their products tested, all to ensure public health and safety as this new industry gets up and running. As patrons look forward to visiting Massachusetts stores, we hope they will do their part by first familiarizing themselves with the law and understanding what is required of responsible consumers.”
Kim Napoli of the New England Treatment Access in Northampton said NETA was proud to be a part of the historic day in Massachusetts.
"We are stepping into a new age and we are honored to be part of it here at NETA," Napoli said.
Last week, the CCC gave the green light to the first two testing labs, which was the last hurdle of this process that began in 2016 when Massachusetts residents voted to legalize pot in the state.
“They called us earlier this week and said they were ready to have that final inspection," Hoffman said. "They had entered all their inventory. And we went out and did the inspections yesterday.”
Now, buyers will face strict limits on how much they can buy, and on age enforcement.
“I’m very confident that nobody under 21 is going to be able to legally buy marijuana from one of our licensed retailers," Hoffman said.
NETA says it's expecting over 1,000 people on opening day Tuesday.
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