EASTHAMPTON — INSA has received its final license from the Cannabis Control Commission to sell, grow and process recreational marijuana at its Easthampton location at 122 Pleasant Street.
“At this time, we are slated to be the third or fourth to open in the state and we are excited for that,” INSA Chief Executive Officer Mark Zatyrka said Wednesday.
INSA was awarded its final license on Tuesday, the day that New England Treatment Access began selling recreational marijuana in Northampton, one of the first two locations east of the Mississippi to sell the recreational product legally. NETA was given its final license for retail at its Northampton location on Oct. 5, and Zatyrka estimated that INSA would be given the go-ahead to sell recreational marijuana in two to three weeks.
INSA was given its provisional license for retail sales on Aug. 9.
Alternative Therapies Group, a Salem medical marijuana dispensary, was also given a final license Tuesday to sell recreational marijuana. Pharmacannis Massachusetts has a final license to sell recreational marijuana in Wareham, which it received on Nov. 1.
INSA’s Easthampton shop has been open as a medical marijuana dispensary since February, and will continue in that capacity. Zatyrka said that once it opens for recreational use, there will be separate lines for medical patients. Home delivery will also remain available to medical marijuana patients.
Before it can be given the go-ahead, INSA will need to be inspected for a final time by the Cannabis Control Commission, although no date for this has been set yet. Once approval for recreational sales is granted, Zatyrka said that the company will have a one-to-two day buffer before sales begin.
“We want to make sure we have all our ducks in a row and in place correctly,” ahead of the first day of sales, Zatyrka said.
He also predicted that the start of recreational sales at INSA would bring excitement.
“I think there will be a lot of excitement to see a new place when we open in a few weeks,” Zatyrka said.
Luis Fieldman can be reached at lfieldman@gazettenet.com. Bera Dunau can be reached at bdunau@gazettenet.com.