SPRINGFIELD -- In its ongoing effort to establish clarity in the state's fledgling marijuana laws and policies, the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission has been posting guidance documents on its website.

A recent one is "Guidance on Equitable Cannabis Polices for Municipalities." (see below)

"The commission is charged by state law ... with ensuring the meaningful participation in the cannabis industry of communities disproportionately affected by the enforcement of previous cannabis laws, small businesses and companies led by people of color, women, veterans and farmers," said the document posted in late July.

Cooperation between local and state officials is important to ensure the marijuana industry is fair and diverse, the document said.

The guidance documents offer explanations that pack detail without overload.

Massachusetts voters legalized recreational marijuana in 2016 and legalized marijuana for medical use in 2012.

Gov. Charlie Baker approved the law that legalized recreational marijuana, after months in which officials drafted regulations, July 28, 2017.

The commission has identified 29 cities and towns in Massachusetts that have been "disproportionately harmed" over the years by marijuana arrests and incarceration. These include Holyoke, Springfield, West Springfield, Amherst, Greenfield and Worcester.

The commission is giving priority in review of licensing applications to "economic empowerment" applicants who come from areas and groups that have been overly affected by marijuana arrests.

In order to be eligible for the program, someone must either have a past drug conviction or be the spouse or child of a person with a drug conviction, and must have lived in Massachusetts for the last 12 months.

Alternatively, the person could have lived in one of the 29 Massachusetts communities classified as an area of disproportionate impact for at least five years and have income below 400 percent of the federal poverty level -- $48,240 for an individual and $98,400 for a family of four.

The guidance document provides background on the recreational marijuana law and addresses questions such as:

Are caps on licenses necessary?

What license types will be allowed in the municipality?

Should a local excise tax be authorized?

How should each license type be zoned?

What municipal entity or entities will oversee the prospective licensee process?

What process will prospective licensees need to follow, and what is the timeline for that process?

How will prospective licensees be selected to move forward, and what municipal entity or entities will negotiate the host community agreement with them?

"To encourage an industry that allows for participation from various communities, the commission recommendation is to allow prospective applicants seeking each type of license to begin the process and hold a community outreach meeting, where residents could raise specific concerns," the document said.

To increase involvement in the "local control process," the commission recommends working with local media, using social media and aligning with community organizations to provide information.

The commission offered tips cities and towns can use to achieve an equitable marijuana industry, including:

allow various types of marijuana businesses

consider whether a cap on the number of marijuana businesses is necessary or if an established cap should be revisited when time has passed and more information is available

be diplomatic in crafting host community agreements: These are documents that stipulate that a marijuana company will pay a community a certain amount of money each year to cover the cost to the community of having the company there. "To allow for checks and balances, a municipality may prefer to designate one entity to oversee the selection process and another to negotiate the host community agreements."

The commission has posted other guidance documents about farmers, home cultivation, application and license fees and background checks.

Guidance Document on Municipal Equity: Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission: by Mike Plaisance on Scribd