SPRINGFIELD, MA (WGGB/WSHM) – The three marijuana businesses currently operating in Springfield were in the spotlight Tuesday as city councilors get a progress report and a look ahead to the future.
“The market, from what I understand, that it has been starting to change…that the whole sale price of cannabis has been reduced,” said Springfield City Councilor Melvin Edwards.
Edwards asked representatives from each of the cannabis facilities – Insa, Liberty Cannabis, and 6 Bricks – what challenges they are currently facing.
“We expect 2023 to become very difficult. The market is trending in that direction. We have seen price regression both at the wholesale level, as well as the retail level, and we expect it’s going to continue,” said Insa’s Chief Compliance Officer Steve Reilly.
Representatives from Liberty Cannabis and 6 Bricks echoed Reilly’s concerns. Edwards also raised questions about the industry.
“I understand that somebody died in the area of western Mass. related to cannabis working at a facility…Could any three of you representatives speak on any incident that you may have had calls to the police department have you had any disturbances on site?” Edwards asked.
Reilly and the CEO of 6 Bricks, Payton Shubrick, responded to his request…
“We have an OSHA safety person on staff full-time, so we try to be proactive on all those sorts of things,” Reilly added.
“The biggest thing we’ve come across is expired IDs and helping folks understand what they need in order to properly enter, but outside of that, no issue,” Shubrick explained.
Edwards ended the meeting by discussing the possibility of expanding operational hours until 11 p.m. for each of these facilities.
“This industry needs support your contribution to our taxes and employment of our residents is important, so I would suggest and ask respectively if you guys would send ideas of how we can be more supportive of what you need to do to be successful,” Edwards said.
