Recreational Marijuana Retailers Sue Gov. Baker To Become Essential During Pandemic

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BOSTON- Five of the Commonwealth’s recreational marijuana retailers filed a lawsuit against the Baker-Politi Administration on Tuesday in Suffolk Superior Court.

The Retailers are unhappy the Governor declared recreational marijuana retailers as non-essential and ordered them closed through at least May 4.

The five retailers are seeking an injunction to allow all the state’s 43 recreational marijuana retailers to open. The stores have been closed since March 24.

The lawsuit was filed by Stephen Mandile, who is also an Uxbridge Selectman.

The retailers named in the suit are CommCann in Millis and Southborough, Athol-based MassGrow, Green Lady of Nantucket, and Bloom Brothers in Pittsfield.

None of Framingham’s retailer marijuana outlet have officials opened yet.

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At a press conference today, April 8, Governor Baker said re-opening the recreational marijuana retailers would have a detrimental effect on the state’s effort to curb the coronavirus outbreak in the Commonwealth.

“Significant numbers of the customers who procure cannabis at recreational marijuana dispensaries in Massachusetts are not from Massachusetts,” Baker said.

Recreational marijuana has not been approved in any other New England State nor New York.

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“Making those sites available to anybody from the northeast would cut completely against the entire strategy we’re trying to pursue,” said Gov. Baker today.

The Baker-Polito administration deemed medical marijuana retailers as essential businesses. The administration decided liquor stores are essential.

Also on Tuesday, April 7, the Cannabis Control Commission said marijuana companies must file a report with the Commission, when any employees test positive for COVID-19.