Legal vices: cannabis and gambling

By Carrie Saldo

Published June 13, 2025 at 9:45 AM EDT

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Today's panel for The Rundown includes Jim Kinney, reporter for the Springfield Republican; Paul Tuthill, former Pioneer Valley bureau chief for WAMC; Adam Frenier, NEPM reporter; and former State Senator Eric Lesser, senior counsel at WilmerHale.

Ayu Suryawan / NEPM

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A stack of poker chips on a gambling table.

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The 2016 ballot question that legalized adult marijuana use in Massachusetts envisioned a business model where marijuana could be used in licensed cafes and lounges. Almost seven years later, Cannabis state regulators are on a fact finding mission to develop policies based on how other states are building businesses.

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We’re presenting a “Legal Vices” edition of The Rundown, exploring the current status of legalized gambling and marijuana in the 413.

As the cannabis industry faces challenges, growers and sellers raise issues with a 1970’s law they say are holding them back. Meanwhile, municipalities find themselves dealing with so-called “gas station weed,” products that are unregulated and available to people under 21 years of age.

Plus, as state lawmakers seek to place limits on sports gambling, the gaming commission offers millions to western Mass. towns in compensation to mitigate the impact that the MGM Springfield casino has had on neighboring communities.

We’re running all of that and more with this week’s panel, Jim Kinney, reporter for the Springfield Republican; Paul Tuthill, former Pioneer Valley bureau chief for WAMC; Adam Frenier, NEPM reporter; and former State Senator Eric Lesser, senior counsel at WilmerHale.