Shops are popping up

Elliot Mercier 

EDITOR’S NOTE: 420 in the 508 is a new column that will look at Massachusetts’ growing marijuana industry.

If you’ve lived in a city long enough, you’re probably used to seeing places close down suddenly before seeing new businesses seemingly pop out of the ether. I won’t go into detail about what companies are pulling out of Worcester, but I will tell you about the new shops that are moving in and showing off their green thumbs. That’s right, many new marijuana facilities and dispensaries are expected to be operational in the near future. Recently, the Cannabis Control Commission (CCC) confirmed at least three more dispensaries have been approved in the Worcester County area.

At the time of writing, there are at least 30 dispensaries slated to open up in Massachusetts. A majority of these businesses are in process of setting up shop and waiting for the green light from the CCC. No need to travel far or wait long if you desire some marijuana, though, because there are a few options available now. 

In Worcester, Good Chemistry is open on Harrison Street. The first medical marijuana dispensary in Massachusetts, Good Chemistry started out in Colorado and Nevada before opening up in Worcester. Not too far away from there, we have Curaleaf in Oxford, a medical dispensary on 425 Main St. At 1724 Main St., Leicester, Cultivate sells medical and recreational pot. (This particular establishment received a decent amount of media buzz when the excitement at having such a place convinced eager buyers to wait out in the cold and rain for the doors to be unlocked at 10 a.m.) Up north, we have Temescal in Hudson, Mass Wellspring in Acton, and Central Compassionate Care in Ayer. 

The point is, you have a lot of options for purchasing marijuana in Massachusetts now, with even more coming soon. A small thing to keep in mind is that these businesses have a similar schedule, opening up between 9 and 11, closing around 7 p.m., so late-night purchases don’t seem to be encouraged for the time being. Unfortunately for those who are seeking to purchase recreational marijuana, there doesn’t seem to be nearly as many options when it comes to stores. 

At the time of writing, there are only two shops in all of Massachusetts that deal in recreational weed: Cultivate in Leicester and NETA in Northampton. In the near future, however, two more recreational shops will open: INSA in Easthampton and Alternative Therapies Group in Salem. 

Chances are high that many of the shops that deal exclusively in medical marijuana now will obtain a recreational seller’s license soon to expand their market, but with paperwork, guidelines and all of that fun stuff, it’ll take time. From data gathered so far, recreational shops will be open much later than the medical establishments, so that late-night purchase I mentioned earlier is possible. Just remember to visit an ATM and withdraw a couple of Franklins.