AMESBURY, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — The Massachusetts Attorney General and Cannabis Control Commission will soon file a joint report on recommendations on how to handle illicit practices in the cannabis business.
This includes unlicensed operators and those who purchase marijuana legally, although above the legal limit.
Those who buy above the limit are known as 'Smurfs,' 'loopers' or 'turnstilers.' They will leave the store and immediately get back in line to buy more product or jump from pot shop to pot shop.
“Our office is working with local and state authorities to support efforts to combat unlicensed marijuana operators," a spokesperson from the attorney general's office said in a statement. "We are supportive of legislation that would create a multi-agency task force to address the illicit market and help ensure safe access to cannabis.”
Robert Dofazio, CEO of marijuana retail chain CNA, is about to open three CNA stores on the North Shore. Dofazio said it's hard to 'smurf' at the same store for medical marijuana.
"When you have a medical card...if you buy it in my store or another medical marijuana dispensary, it knows that you've been in the store already that day," Dofazio said. "So that you can't buy more than you're supposed to."
CNA'S Marketing Director Scott Winter said the state has the solution already available to it.
"Metrics is currently the state software that tracks the plants from seed to sale, on the medicinal side that's tracking medicinal patients," Winter said. "So I can't go to a store in Salem, buy my ounce limit, and the go over to Lowell and do the same thing because Metrics flagged it already. It's a flip of a switch."
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WBZ NewsRadio's Karyn Regal (@Karynregal) reports