Cannabis Control Commission Chair Steve Hoffman says he will not allow major national marijuana companies to dominate the local industry, despite a recent Boston Globe editorial claiming otherwise.
The Globe’s editorial was based on a Spotlight investigation that alleged that three major national marijuana companies were poised to take over the local industry and mislead local vendors.
“We are not going to allow it to happen,” Hoffman said in an interview with Boston Public Radio Friday. “We are committed to enforce our regulations and that should be obvious. I hope that's obvious."
Hoffman said he would be open to working with Attorney General Maura Healey on an investigation into the real power players behind “big weed” and its influence on the state.
“The attorney general has been incredibly supportive,” Hoffman said. “I'm obviously not going to tell her what to do, but … we're going to enforce our regulations and there shouldn't be any doubt about that.”
Hoffman described the Globe editorial as “speculation,” since those deals are not official. “Those transactions have not yet occurred,” Hoffman said. “If and when those transactions occur, the new entity has to apply to our commission to get the licenses transferred.”
Hoffman said the commission is currently investigating the claims and reviewing contracts, loans and ownership deals. “I would respectfully say we've been committed to enforcing our regulations long before the spotlight story came out,” Hoffman said.
