2 More Pot Shops Could Be Operational By Weekend

Massachusetts residents could have their pick of five shops to buy their recreational marijuana Christmas gifts. The Cannabis Control Commission on Monday gave the final go-ahead to stores in Wareham and Easthampton.

Verilife in Wareham will become the first pot shop to open south of Boston and the second in Eastern Massachusetts, behind one in Salem that opened over the weekend. There had been some confusion with Verilife's opening date - it initially announced it was set to open Tuesday.

I.N.S.A., Inc. in Easthampton can also begin selling this week. That will be the first test of two pot shops operating in close proximity to one another - a store in Northampton became one of the first two in the state to open about a month ago.

>>>Related: Massachusetts Gets First Whiff Of Recreational Marijuana

Also Monday, the CCC announced its headquarters will be based in Worcester's Union Station. The first year of the 10-year lease will cost $439,200.

Photo by Jimmy Bentley, Staff