Massachusetts Auditor Diana DiZoglio last week released an audit of the state’s Cannabis Control Commission (CCC), claiming to have uncovered violations and mismanagement issues at the commission, NBC Boston reports.
The audit found that officials “failed to take appropriate steps and institute procedures” to guarantee the administering of cannabis industry license extensions, and that a “lack of supervision and minimal accountability over licensing staff members” helped contribute to the breakdown.
“CCC’s mismanagement of prorated fees for license extensions resulted in procedural inequity, revenue loss, and noncompliance with state regulations.” — Excerpt from the audit summary
The commission said it has “been working closely with the State Auditor’s Office for almost a year and will review the report released today in furtherance of our shared commitment to government improvement. Over the course of the audit period and since, the Commission has hired key leaders, made progress to address many of the issues referenced, and begun to move forward in a constructive way.”
The report was released hours after the commission voted unanimously to reinstate the license of Assured Testing, a testing lab accused of failing to report thousands of contaminated cannabis samples, the report said. The commission issued penalties against the lab, including a $300,000 fine and two years of probation. Additionally, the lab — which has publicly disagreed with the findings but says it will honor the commission’s terms for reinstatement — will have to hire an independent auditor, an internal control manager, and a new interim CEO.
“We are eager to return to what we do best: delivering scientific, evidence-backed testing with industry-leading cannabis expertise,” Assured Testing said in a statement.
