The Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission has announced plans to hire additional staff in order to cut the average wait time for cannabis business licenses from 121 days to 60 days, according to a MassLive.com report.
The agency unveiled its plan at a Joint Ways and Means Committee budget hearing Feb. 24 to address one of the most common complaints from prospective cannabis entrepreneurs, the news outlet reported.
The commission plans to achieve its goal in its 2021 fiscal year and will take a total fiscal 2021 operations budget of $12.4 million, a $2.8-million increase from last year, MassLive.com reported. The total budget request is $16.3 million, which includes regulation of the medical cannabis program and a statewide public awareness campaign, according to the news outlet.
The commission launched in 2017 and to date, has licensed 246 cannabis businesses, MassLive.com reported.