
OUR MISSION
The Massachusetts Patient Advocacy Alliance, Inc. (MPAA) is a non-profit organization that advocates for medical cannabis patients, personal caregivers, and healthcare providers in Massachusetts. We strive to be a resource for our community and the general public to learn more about the Massachusetts medical marijuana program. Our work includes engaging with policymakers at the federal, state, and local level to ensure that access to medical cannabis is protected. MPAA fights to expand patient access, reduce stigma, and make the Commonwealth of Massachusetts an example of a world-class medical cannabis program.
FEDERAL
We advocate for changes to federal policies on medical cannabis.
STATE
Our advocacy includes state level actions and policy recommendations.
LOCAL
Raising awareness with the public at events across the state is a part of our mission.
LEADERSHIP
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
MPAA advocated alongside many patients and other advocates for several years to eliminate the annual $50 patient registration fee instituted by the Department of Public Health and continued by the Cannabis Control Commission. On November 1st, 2019 the many years of hard work finally paid off when the Cannabis Control Commission acted to eliminate the fee for all patients. Since then, qualifying patients have been able to receive and maintain their patient registration without paying a fee to the Cannabis Control Commission.
Our organization helped craft amendment #63 to Chapter 55 of the Acts of 2017 which created instant access to patient registrations for Massachusetts medical marijuana patients. The amendment was filed by former Representative Frank Smizik. On July 1, 2019 the policy was implemented by the Cannabis Control Commission giving patients access to a 14-day temporary card immediately upon certification by a healthcare provider. Because of this change to the law patients no longer face delays in having their registration processed and can access medical marijuana on the same day they are certified.
MPAA led the effort encouraging the Cannabis Control Commission to develop a patient supply safety net to ensure that access to a sufficient quantity and variety of cannabis strains and other products would remain available for patients at medical dispensaries that started to sell recreational cannabis at the same location. The Commission adopted a regulation prior to the roll out of adult-use cannabis sales that required co-located dispensaries to reserve at least 35% their supply for patients during their first six months of sales. This was a first of its kind protection for patient supply in the country and helped to prevent shortages for patients in Massachusetts.
Our organization recommended policies to ensure that patients always receive priority treatment at co-located marijuana establishments. Not only do patients have supply protections, patients are also prioritized in many ways inside and outside of dispensaries that sell both medical and adult-use cannabis. Registered patients have reported experiencing dedicated patient parking spaces, prioritized entry to the sales floor, a dedicated line for patients, and access to all products at a co-located marijuana establishment.
SAFE ACCESS IN MASSACHUSETTS
MEDICAL CANNABIS PATIENTS CONTINUE TO FACE STIGMA IN MAINSTREAM MEDICINE AND STRUGGLE FOR SAFE ACCESS
While medical cannabis patients can obtain safe and regulated cannabis products in Massachusetts they also can continue to face stigma at home, work, school, and within mainstream medical institutions. Cannabis patients facing hospitalization are often discontinued from their normal regimen of medical cannabis because institutions refuse to allow these patients to possess or use cannabis within their walls. Some medical cannabis patients still struggle to find safe and regulated products. Many patients in underserved areas of the Commonwealth like Cape Cod and the Berkshires don’t have access to tax-free cannabis in their city or town. This why we continue to fight for patients and why you should too.