Cannabis Regulations in Massachusetts (2026)
37 rules on the books across Massachusetts, 19 cities and counties. Select a rule to read the full details.
Severity: Few Restrictions · Light Restrictions · Some Restrictions · Significant Restrictions · Heavy Restrictions
Home Cultivation
Rules for growing cannabis plants at home, including plant count limits, indoor vs. outdoor growing, and visibility and odor requirements.
Massachusetts: statewide
StatewideFew RestrictionsMassachusetts preempts local bans on personal cannabis cultivation under MGL c.94G §7, allowing adults 21+ to grow up…
Read full rule →Boston
Some RestrictionsMassachusetts legalized recreational cannabis in 2016 under MGL c.94G. Adults 21+ may cultivate up to 6 marijuana…
Read full rule →Bristol County
Some RestrictionsAdults 21+ in Bristol County can grow up to 6 cannabis plants (12 per household) under MGL c. 94G §7. Plants must be…
Read full rule →Norfolk County
Some RestrictionsNorfolk County does not regulate cannabis. Under MA state law (MGL c. 94G §7), adults 21+ may grow up to 6 plants per…
Read full rule →Plymouth County
Few RestrictionsHome cultivation is legal across Plymouth County. An adult 21 or older may grow up to 6 marijuana plants for personal…
Read full rule →Dispensary Zoning
Where cannabis businesses may locate, the zones that allow retail, the buffer distances from schools and parks, and the cities that ban commercial cannabis activity entirely.
Massachusetts: statewide
StatewideSome RestrictionsMassachusetts lets each city and town zone the time, place and manner of cannabis retailers and cap their number, but a…
Read full rule →Boston
Heavy RestrictionsBoston regulates cannabis retail establishments through the Boston Cannabis Board (CBC Ord. §8-13) and zoning approval…
Read full rule →Lawrence
Heavy RestrictionsLawrence bans every category of licensed marijuana business citywide. Chapter 5.85, enacted in 2017, prohibits…
Read full rule →Lynn
Heavy RestrictionsLynn's Zoning Ordinance forbids every licensed recreational cannabis establishment citywide, in every zoning district…
Read full rule →Revere
Heavy RestrictionsRevere prohibits every type of non-medical marijuana establishment citywide, including cultivators, testing labs…
Read full rule →Waltham
Heavy RestrictionsWaltham regulates cannabis establishments under local zoning, requiring special permits, host community agreements, and…
Read full rule →Brockton
Significant RestrictionsBrockton has not opted out of adult-use marijuana. Cultivators, product manufacturers, testing labs, transporters and…
Read full rule →Chelsea
Significant RestrictionsChelsea's zoning use table allows a marijuana retailer only by special permit, and only in the BR, BR2, BH, SC and I…
Read full rule →Leominster
Significant RestrictionsLeominster confines marijuana facilities to the Industrial zoning district, and only by special permit from the city…
Read full rule →New Bedford
Significant RestrictionsNew Bedford's Zoning Ordinance restricts marijuana establishments and medical marijuana treatment centers to Industrial…
Read full rule →Newton
Significant RestrictionsNewton has not opted out of cannabis retail: Medical Marijuana Treatment Centers and Marijuana Retailers may locate…
Read full rule →Quincy
Significant RestrictionsQuincy caps marijuana retailers at 20% of its liquor license count, requires a special permit and mayoral host…
Read full rule →Somerville
Significant RestrictionsSomerville has not opted out of adult-use marijuana retail, but every cannabis retail site needs a Special Permit under…
Read full rule →Springfield
Significant RestrictionsSpringfield allows adult-use marijuana retailers only in Business A, B, C, Riverfront, Industrial Park and Industrial A…
Read full rule →Taunton
Significant RestrictionsTaunton's marijuana ordinance reduces the state's default 500-foot school buffer to zero feet for parcels in the…
Read full rule →Bristol County
Some RestrictionsCannabis retailers in Bristol County operate under CCC licensing (935 CMR 500). Fall River, New Bedford, and Taunton…
Read full rule →Cambridge
Some RestrictionsCambridge permits licensed recreational and medical cannabis dispensaries under the city cannabis ordinance and zoning…
Read full rule →Norfolk County
Some RestrictionsNorfolk County does not zone dispensaries. Each municipality decides host community agreements and zoning under MGL c…
Read full rule →Plymouth County
Some RestrictionsMarijuana dispensary siting is a town decision, not a county one. Under MGL c.94G §3 each Plymouth County community…
Read full rule →Buffer Zones
Required minimum distances between cannabis retailers and sensitive uses (schools, parks, day-cares), and between cannabis retailers themselves.
Boston
Significant RestrictionsBoston's zoning code forbids cannabis establishments outright in Residential and H districts and treats them as a…
Read full rule →Brockton
Significant RestrictionsBrockton bars a marijuana retail establishment from locating within 500 feet of another existing or permitted marijuana…
Read full rule →Leominster
Significant RestrictionsLeominster keeps marijuana facilities, medical and recreational alike, at least five hundred feet from any school…
Read full rule →Lynn
Significant RestrictionsLynn bars a registered cannabis dispensary from locating within 500 feet of any residential district, playground…
Read full rule →New Bedford
Significant RestrictionsNew Bedford confines marijuana establishments and medical marijuana treatment centers to Industrial Districts A, B and…
Read full rule →Newton
Significant RestrictionsNewton keeps Medical Marijuana Treatment Centers and Marijuana Retailers at least 500 feet from any existing K-12…
Read full rule →Quincy
Significant RestrictionsQuincy bars marijuana establishments within 1,500 feet of any residential district and within 500 feet of schools…
Read full rule →Revere
Significant RestrictionsRevere's zoning table keeps medical marijuana treatment centers 400 feet from residential uses, parks, playgrounds…
Read full rule →Worcester
Significant RestrictionsWorcester bars a Marijuana Retailer license within 500 feet of a school, licensed daycare, public library, park or…
Read full rule →Cambridge
Some RestrictionsCambridge bars a Cannabis Retail Store or Production Facility from locating within 300 feet of a pre-existing school or…
Read full rule →Springfield
Some RestrictionsSpringfield bars adult-use marijuana establishments within 500 feet of K-12 schools, 250 feet of homes or residential…
Read full rule →Taunton
Some RestrictionsTaunton's Zoning Ordinance bars any marijuana retailer from locating within 500 feet of another marijuana retailer…
Read full rule →Personal Cultivation Limits
Maximum number of plants residents may grow at home for personal use, indoor-vs-outdoor rules, and visibility/odor mitigation requirements.