Worcester Business Journal

16 Worcester Business Journal | June 12, 2023 | wbjournal.com Green Flower partners with Worcester Polytechnic Institute to offer programs for entrepreneurs and workers in the cannabis industry, as well as professionals like accountants and attorneys who work with canna- bis companies. One of the company's big focuses is helping people navigate complicated legal and financial rules. Waiting on federal changes While streamlining at the state level could help with those issues, complexities arise from the fact that cannabis remains illegal under federal law. Federal prohibition makes banking exceptionally complex and expensive for cannabis companies. It prevents interstate sales of cannabis products. "I don't know when the day will ever come that we could order a truck of products from Colorado," Bowman said. "It could happen, we just don't know how long." Simon is optimistic the federal government will eventually deschedule cannabis, removing it from the Controlled Substances Act. More immediately, Congress is considering F O C U S B U S I N E S S O F C A N N A B I S Whether you're inventing a new industry, or reinventing your organization, rely on a team of attorneys who see the world your way. At Bowditch, we'll help you cra your business and legal strategy and manage the essential details so you can stay focused on your long-term vision. Worcester Framingham Boston BOWDITCH.COM BREAKING | BARRIERS BREAK THROUGH WITH BOWDITCH Mass. cannabis businesses A breakdown of all licensed commercial operators in Massachusetts, as of May 2023 Number of Business type licensees Retailers ...................................... 286 Cultivators ................................... 107 Manufacturers ............................... 92 Other.............................................. 46 Source: Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission Meeting Book, May 2023 measures to provide cannabis businesses with better access to loans and other financial services. "I do think we're getting to a place where the cannabis issue at the federal level is not something that can be ignored any longer," Simon said. Cannabis cafes Meanwhile, back at the state level, CCC is considering how to roll out social consumption sites, such as cannabis cafes under a law passed last year. O'Brien said she has questions about making sure that it's done in a way that protects public safety. For example, she said there is no tool like a breathalyzer to estimate a person's level of impairment if they get behind the wheel aer indulging. "We don't have those standards," she said. "We don't have the science." One of O'Brien's priorities is facilitating scientific research on cannabis, including questions regarding short-term impairment, longer-term health concerns related to cannabis use, and medical benefits of the plant. She's looking at how to bring together the state's universities, hospital systems, and biotech industry to work on these issues. Despite all the unknowns, though, in some ways cannabis really is becoming just another industry. As it gets off the ground, Cannabis of Worcester is using techniques familiar to a local cafe or microbrewery: hang- ing work by local artists, hosting block parties and cra fairs, and connecting with the wider Worcester community on social media. Compared with the stigma still attached to cannabis just a few years back, Bowman said, in- creasingly broad swaths of the public seem comfortable connecting with a friendly neighborhood dispensary. "In all honesty, I feel like there's been something of a shi," he said. "e perception's changed a lot." (From left) Cannabis of Worcester CEO Gary Baldyga, General Manager Casey Nothe, Chief Operating Officer Stephen Bowman W Continued from previous page

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