(A version of this story first appeared at Hemp Industry Daily.)
Hemp growers in Massachusetts can now sell hemp extracts and smokable flower to the state’s more than 200 licensed marijuana retailers, a move that should allow MJ stores to serve a wider selection of consumers.
A new rule that took effect Monday gives Massachusetts hemp farmers instructions for testing and labeling their products for sale to adult-use or medical marijuana shoppers.
The change was made by Massachusetts lawmakers late last year. The change applies only to farmers growing hemp in Massachusetts.
Out-of-state hemp products remain off-limits for Massachusetts marijuana retailers.
The new rules require hemp products sold in Massachusetts dispensaries to carry labels that include:
- Manufacturer name and address.
- THC and CBD concentrations.
- A warning that the product “has not been tested, analyzed, or approved by the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources or the FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration).”
The law did not end a prohibition on processing hemp and marijuana products at the same locations.
Marijuana manufacturers will need licenses from the state agriculture department before producing products listed as hemp or hemp-derived.
Massachusetts has roughly 65 hemp farmers on 407 acres and 95,000 indoor square feet this year.
The state is home to about 168 recreational marijuana retailers and 68 medical marijuana dispensaries.
Those retail outlets sold about $1.4 billion-$1.7 billion worth of product last year, according to the 2021 MJBizFactbook.
