The first marijuana store in Massachusetts could open in "the week or two," says Commission Chair on Cannabis,

Steven Hoffman, chairman of the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission, still refrains from giving a specific date for opening retail outlets.

After a meeting of the five-member board on Thursday, Hoffman said regulators continued to work with the final licensed marijuana companies.

Some steps have yet to be taken: the inventory must be placed in the seed tracking system until sale, the marijuana labs license must be fully in place and the authorities of regulations must inspect a retail store.

"We are getting closer, but these are the steps that must be taken before the" start of operation "certificates are issued," Hoffman said.

He added: "Everything is happening as fast as possible."

The first retail store could open in "the week or two next," according to Hoffman, who added an additional caveat.

See inside marijuana facility cultivating some of Massachusetts' first legal recreational cannabis

"Frankly, we issue a" start of operations "certificate, this is not our decision when the store will open," said Hoffman. "It's the decision of the license holders, but we are going to have these" start-up "certificates in the coming weeks."

The first two companies to receive the latest retail licenses are those looking to co-locate their leisure store with their medical marijuana dispensary: ​​Cultivate in Leicester and New England Treatment Access in Northampton.