Curaleaf received the first research license in Massachusetts, allowing the multi-state operator to conduct scientific studies into cannabis.
The Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission unanimously approved Curaleaf Processing during its Nov. 14 meeting, following a successful inspection of Curaleaf’s proposed lab site in Newton. Curaleaf will still need to obtain a final inspection of their facility and approval of their first proposed research project before the company can commence operations.
Massachusetts has received seven applications since creating the research license type in 2018. Curaleaf, which originally applied in 2022, is the first proposed lab to make it to final approval.
“There is still so much to explore when it comes to cannabis policy — whether we are considering implications for public health and safety, medical uses, or the impacts of prohibition,” said Commissioner Nurys Camargo in a statement. “While this licensee may be the first research facility to reach this point in the Commonwealth, it is my hope that others push on through the process and continue expanding our cannabis knowledge.”
Curaleaf, which operates in 19 states, has four licensed dispensaries in Massachusetts, as well as licenses for cultivation and processing in both the medical and adult-use markets.
Curaleaf spokesperson Jordon Rahmil said the company has actively participated in clinical research through partnerships with leading academic institutions, including Penn Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania Medical School and Imperial College in London.
“As a company, research and development is critically important to Curaleaf, and we’ll continue to prioritize it as we continue to build the world’s leading cannabis company,” Rahmil said in a statement. “Our focus is on developing highly formulated products and form factors that are rooted in science and are specifically designed to address the health and wellness needs of our customers and patients.”
Curaleaf may study substance abuse
Curaleaf has yet to publicly offer specifics on its first planned project, but the company did list several areas of interest in their original application with the state.
“As a research and development facility, Curaleaf Processing is not producing or distributing any marijuana or marijuana products,” said the 91-page application. “The direct effect of the facility and its operations on the health of the neighborhood and its residents will be non-existent. In fact, the research conducted at the facility may indirectly improve the health of the community by helping to better understand any link between marijuana use and substance abuse.”
Marijuana research facility licenses are available to any academic institution, nonprofit corporation, or domestic corporation or entity authorized to do business in the commonwealth that is interested in either conducting research involving cannabis directly or permitting other researchers with an approved research permit to conduct cannabis research within approved facilities.
Curaleaf will need to apply for a separate research permit from the CCC in order to begin any specific research projects.
In Massachusetts, any research projects involving human subjects will require supplying necessary Institution Review Board details, while any study involving animal subjects will require supplying necessary Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee details to the commission.
This process is likely to come into play as some of Curaleaf’s areas of interest involve studying how different cannabinoids affect the human body.
Research areas include analytical chemistry to develop lab testing methodologies, developing new forms of edibles, improving processing practices, and studying how cannabinoids develop in the plant and how they interact with consumers biologically, according to their application.
Other states supporting cannabis research
Of the two dozen states with legal adult-use cannabis, six states — Massachusetts, New York, Connecticut, Washington, Oregon and Colorado — have research license types.
Connecticut has six active research licenses, though it is not clear if those labs are operational, according to the CRB Monitor licensing database. Washington state has two licensed facilities. Oregon granted a research license to Progressive Plant Research, while Colorado issued one to MedPharm Research, which also has a cultivation license. New York also has a research license type, but so far no one has been issued a final license.
There are also 11 research licenses in states or territories that only have legal medical markets. Nine of them are in Pennsylvania, while Oklahoma and Puerto Rico each have one active research license.
In addition to state licenses, 10 entities across the country have been issued a federal research license from the Drug Enforcement Administration.
“As long as marijuana remains a Schedule I substance, it is important that states like ours continue to innovate and pursue opportunities for research despite the barriers that may exist,” said Commissioner Ava Callender Concepcion in a statement. “I’m thrilled to see this licensee moving forward, and we are excited for the day when we can announce that their research efforts have officially begun.”
