WEST SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WGGB/WSHM) – Massachusetts residents can now legally carry twice as much marijuana under a new cannabis law signed yesterday.
The law, called “an act modernizing the commonwealth’s cannabis laws,” increases the legal carry limit from one ounce to two ounces. It also doubles the number of licenses local dispensaries can hold, from three to six.
Tom Rooke, co-owner of Cannabis Huts in West Springfield, said the changes are beneficial for consumers and businesses.
“I think increasing the allotment for consumers up to two ounces as opposed to one is going to be beneficial to everyone,” Rooke said. “I think what it will do is allow people to make less frequent trips, but there’ll be bigger baskets. So it’ll kind of alleviate some of the lines that we’re having.”
Cannabis Huts opened a couple of weeks ago. Rooke said the dispensary has created 15 jobs, with 98% of employees hired from within 10 minutes of the location.
“We’ve had support from the town, from the neighbors, all of our employees, or like 98% of them are hired from within 10 minutes of here,” Rooke said.
Dominic Attanasio, an employee at Cannabis Huts, said he entered the industry after high school because of its growth.
“I saw it was kind of booming, growing,” Attanasio said. “I’ve always been interested in the different properties it has, you know, ways it can help people, help society in a way.”
The law also changes where medical marijuana establishments can get their product, allowing them to sell cannabis they don’t grow. Cannabis is typically used on the medical side to treat chronic pain or mental health.
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