Gov. Charlie Baker Appoints Sen. Jennifer Flanagan to Cannabis Control Commission
Sen. Jennifer Flanagan, who fought against Question 4, which legalized recreational cannabis in Massachusetts, will be Gov. Charlie Baker’s first pick to serve on the Cannabis Control Commission. The commission will operate as a regulatory board and oversee Massachusetts’ cannabis industry. It’s the second cannabis-related job placement at the hands of Gov. Baker that cannabis advocates aren’t happy about.
Flanagan looked for solutions to Massachusetts’ opioid problem before being appointed to the commission. “Senator Flanagan has been a champion and important partner with us on bipartisan efforts to enact comprehensive legislation around substance use prevention, treatment and recovery,” Baker said in a statement.
Flanagan currently serves as Senate chair of the Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Abuse and Recovery. Flanagan served in the House of Representatives in 2004 and in the Senate in 2008.
Gov. Baker, state Treasurer Deb Goldberg and Attorney General Maura Healey all are involved in the selection process for the five members of the commission. The commission will be tasked with accepting and licensing applications to open retail shops. Retail outlets are expected to open by mid-2018.
Gov. Baker drew criticism for appointing anti-cannabis Walpole Police Chief John Carmichael Jr. to Massachusett’s Cannabis Advisory Board on August 4. Considering the selections for the Cannabis Control Commission and the Cannabis Advisory Board, many residents are questioning the governor’s agenda. “ . . . Marijuana is not safe,” Gov. Baker said. “Regular use that starts in adolescence has been shown to impair brain development, and even lower IQ. And increasingly, medical science is also showing a frightening correlation between regular marijuana use and severe mental health issues.”
Flanagan will resign from her seat in the Senate next week. Flanagan’s salary as associate commissioner is $120,000 per year, which is a sizable increase from her last position. Flanagan’s first day as associate commissioner begins September 1.
