800-plus recreational marijuana businesses seek priority licensing in Massachusetts

Massachusetts regulators are allowing would-be recreational cannabis businesses to submit applications for priority certification, and so far more than 800 firms have done so – a sign of strong demand for rec licenses.

Receiving priority certification “allows certain businesses to apply for a license now, rather than waiting until May 1 or June 1,” MassLive.com reported.

Here’s what you need to know:

• Roughly 75% of the applicants are applying under the “economic empowerment” category set aside for businesses that would open in low-income areas or neighborhoods that have experienced a higher-than-normal amount of marijuana-related arrests.
• The remaining applicants are medical marijuana dispensaries that are already registered in the MMJ program.
• More than half of the submitted applications were incomplete, but the state’s Cannabis Control Commission is working with the applicants to gather the necessary missing information.
• Businesses that missed the deadline for priority certification will have until May 1 or June 1 to apply, depending on the type of license.