Health & Fitness
MA Cannabis Shops To Close Due To Coronavirus Stay-At-Home Order
The Cannabis Control Commission ordered only recreational stores to close following Gov. Charlie Baker's stay-at-home advisory.
WORCESTER, MA — The Cannabis Control Commission has issued a cease-and-desist order to all recreational marijuana retailers in Massachusetts. Recreational cannabis sales must end by noon on Tuesday, which is when Gov. Charlie Baker's coronavirus stay-at-home advisory goes into effect.
Baker's advisory allows many businesses to stay open, including medical marijuana sellers, liquor stores, and grocery stores. But recreational sales didn't make the cut. The stores will be allowed to reopen on April 7 at noon — that's when Baker's stay-at-home advisory ends.
While temporarily restricting recreational sales, the Cannabis Control Commission has loosened some restrictions on medical marijuana. The agency issued guidance last week allowing prospective patients to use telehealth screenings to get medical marijuana prescriptions.
Recreational shops in Massachusetts often see people packed together in long lines, a violation of social-distancing standards. Some recreational retailers, like CommCan in Millis, have begun enforcing social distancing in wait lines.
On Monday, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee issued a stay-at-home order to residents in that state, but Inslee is allowing recreational stores to remain open. Unlike Massachusetts, Washington does not have a system of separate medical marijuana stores.
