Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission Seeks Public Input on Delivery Exclusivity Extension and
Secret Shopper Program Regulatory Reforms

Public comment period opens Jan. 30 and concludes with a public hearing Feb. 23 

The Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission (Commission) is hosting a public comment period starting Jan. 30 and concluding with a public hearing Feb. 23 at its Worcester headquarters to receive feedback from residents on proposed regulatory changes that would extend the equity exclusivity period for delivery licenses to April 2029. Commissioners voted unanimously to open a regulatory review process for the extension, new data-collection processes for both delivery exclusivity and social consumption exclusivity periods, as well as reforms to the Secret Shopper Program during the Commission’s Jan. 14 public meeting.

During the delivery exclusivity period, adult-use Marijuana Delivery Courier, Delivery Operator, and Microbusiness with Delivery Endorsement licenses are set aside for businesses with majority ownership made up of Certified Economic Empowerment Priority Applicants (EEA) or Social Equity Program (SEP) participants. The initial three-year exclusivity period began on Apr. 1, 2022 when the first Delivery Operator license commenced operations, and was extended by one year in 2025 to allow for an evaluation of the policy’s success by an agency Working Group in partnership with UMass Donahue Institute. In addition to extending the delivery exclusivity period through April 2029, the proposed amendments would authorize the Commission to further extend the period by vote, at its discretion. The amendments also update contemporaneous data-collection requirements to measure criteria to determine whether the goals of the exclusivity period have been met for both the delivery exclusivity and social consumption exclusivity periods. 

The Secret Shopper Program is one of the agency’s investigations and enforcement tools that allows for individuals to conduct random, off-the-shelf testing of cannabis products, among other initiatives, to ensure consumer health and safety. As proposed, the Commission’s regulatory update would allow third-party vendors or contractors—such as nonprofits, research institutions, and other legal entities—to enter into agreements with the Commission to act as secret shoppers.  

How to Submit Written Comments:   

Submit written comments electronically as an attached Word document or as text within the body of an email to Commission@CCCMass.com with “Exclusivity Extension and Secret Shopper Oversight” in the subject line no later than 5 p.m. on Feb. 23. 

All written comments should be submitted to the Commission during the specified public comment period, and no later than Feb. 23 at 5 p.m. All submissions should include the constituent’s full name, and organization or affiliation, if any. 

Those received by the deadline will be reviewed by the Commission and may be incorporated into the final version of regulations that will be considered at a forthcoming public meeting. Please be advised that the Commission may publish submissions it receives or produce them in response to a request made under the Massachusetts Public Records Law, M.G.L. c. 66, § 10, or any other compulsory legal processes.  

How to Sign-Up to Speak at the Feb. 23 Public Hearing: 

Use this form to sign-up to give verbal testimony remotely or in-person at the Commission’s headquarters at Union Station, 2 Washington Square in Worcester on February 23 starting at 10 a.m. The Commission will email further instructions on how to provide remote testimony to those who select that option on the sign-up form. 

For more information, contact the Commission by phone (774-415-0200) or email (Commission@CCCMass.com).

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