Massachusetts authorizes the use of marijuana on premises in licensed businesses

Local marijuana use has gotten the green light in the Bay State, allowing tourist businesses to offer marijuana to consumers.

The Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission (MCCC) unanimously approved the decision in a 4-0 vote on Dec. 11.

“The first new cannabis business models to be introduced in Massachusetts’ regulated industry in five years will allow adults 21 and older to purchase and consume marijuana on-site at Marijuana Establishments (MEs), licensed events and licensed non-cannabis businesses,” the MCCC press release notes.

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Chairman Shannon O’Brien said Massachusetts residents are “eagerly waiting” to consume marijuana in public, according to the release.

“We look forward to the economic opportunities these new licenses will provide to small businesses and entrepreneurs who have been hit hard by the drug war,” said O’Brien.

The regulations take effect immediately. Public use licenses, however, are not yet available.

The commission will be working on an implementation plan to create new applications to establish use and guidance and training for vendors, the release noted.

The MCCC recently praised President Donald Trump for his executive order in December to reclassify marijuana as a less dangerous drug.

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Marijuana was previously classified as a Schedule 1 drug under the laws of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) – the same category the agency applies to drugs including heroin, ecstasy and LSD.

Under the new Schedule III category, marijuana is now in the same category as drugs like Tylenol with codeine and anabolic steroids, which the agency says are those with “moderate to low potential for physical and psychological dependence.”

Under the new law, non-cannabis businesses such as yoga studios and movie theaters can obtain a cannabis license to host facilities. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner, File)

“President Trump’s Executive Order to expedite marijuana redistricting marks an important step forward for public health and patient care in the United States,” Commissioner Kimberly Roy said in a press release at the time.

“By aligning federal policy with science, this action will help remove long-standing barriers to medical research and open the door to safer and more effective treatments for people living with chronic and debilitating conditions,” added Roy.

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In a recent study, researchers at UC San Francisco determined that consuming edible marijuana, such as gummies, has the same effect on heart risk as smoking marijuana.

The risk stems from a reduction in the function of blood vessels, the study found that cannabis users have “reduced vascular function,” compared to those who smoke cigarettes.

The commission in Massachusetts will work on an implementation plan to create new applications for the establishment of use and guidance and training for vendors. (Stock)

The performance of their blood vessels was almost half compared to those who did not use cannabis, a negative effect linked to a higher risk of heart attack, high blood pressure and other cardiovascular conditions, the researchers noted.

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“Chronic marijuana smoking and THC ingestion are associated with endothelial dysfunction. [impaired functioning of the endothelial cells lining the inside of blood vessels] similar to that seen in smokers, although apparently in different ways,” the researchers wrote.

“This study improves understanding of the potential risks to cardiovascular health associated with marijuana use and provides additional evidence that marijuana use is unhealthy.”

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Fox News Digital has reached out to the Massachusetts Department of Health for comment.

Fox News Digital’s Melissa Rudy and Diana Stancey contributed reporting.