BOSTON — PRESS RELEASE — The Responsible Regulation Alliance announced the expansion of its advisory board Thursday with the addition of Trichome Health, which holds two Provisional Certificates of Registration in Massachusetts and intends to be operational in Lakeville by the end of the year, according to a press release.
Trichome Health is the sixth member of the RRA Advisory Board, joining Coastal Compassion, Massachusetts Patient Foundation, Mayflower Medicinals, Natural Selections and Acreage Holdings. RRA intends to limit the board to 10 cannabis companies that are either operating or planning to operate in Massachusetts.
RRA is a nonprofit dedicated to advancing responsible regulation of the cannabis industry in the Commonwealth. With the participation of individuals well-versed in state-based cannabis regulation, it produces memos and offers insight to state actors involved in shaping and overseeing the regulated cannabis market. RRA provided the Cannabis Control Commission with guidance on a variety of issues as the commission worked on Massachusetts' adult-use regulations, and it shared its recommendations with the public on the RRA website.
“We are excited to join the RRA, as we have been looking to be involved in an organization that will be influential in the legislative and rule-making processes as the market evolves,” said Alex Mazin, president of Trichome Health. “I see participation on the RRA Advisory Board as a perfect opportunity to not just advance thoughtful policy, but also work in collaboration with respected cannabis industry leaders in Massachusetts. Together, we will enhance RRA’s ability to advise and educate legislators, executive branch officials, and members of the Cannabis Control Commission.”
The day-to-day work of RRA is coordinated by two firms retained by the organization: Tremont Strategies Group (TSG) and VS Strategies. TSG (formerly Beacon Strategies Group, prior to a merger) is a Boston-based public affairs and government relations firm that has been working in the cannabis field since the Commonwealth passed Question 3, which granted patients access to medical marijuana. VS Strategies is a lobbying and public relations firm based in Denver, whose principals have collectively spent decades enacting and shaping cannabis laws and regulations. RRA also receives valuable insight and guidance from the Boston office of the Vicente Sederberg law firm.
“With the upcoming launch of the adult-use market in Massachusetts, we fully expect that the laws and regulations governing the system will require tweaks and modification,” said Steve Byrne, a vice president at TSG who serves as executive director of RRA. “RRA’s mission is to work with legislators and regulators to advance policies that protect public health while allowing companies to operate efficiently. This is a new system for everyone and it is important for the private and public sectors to work together to develop optimal policies.”
