Commissioner at Mass. cannabis regulatory agency steps down
Photo | Courtesy of Cannabis Control Commission
Nurys Camargo is stepping down from the Cannabis Control Commission.
Nurys Camargo, a commissioner at the Massachusetts state agency tasked with regulating the cannabis industry, is stepping down from her role after nearly four and a half years on the job.
Camargo first took on the role in January 2021 after she was appointed to serve in the social justice seat of CCC in December 2020 by then-govenor Charlie Baker, Treasurer Deborah Goldberg, and then-attorney general Maura Healey. Commissioners serve for a period of five years or until a successor is appointed.
Camargo made the announcement in an Instagram post on Friday, where she hinted at a new career opportunity but did not provide a specific reason for her resignation.
“This decision wasn’t easy – but it’s time,” Camargo wrote. “I’m leaving with deep pride in the work I’ve helped lead, and even more gratitude for everyone who walked this path with me. When I joined the CCC on Jan. 4th 2021, I brought every part of who I am: a girl who grew up with an incarcerated father, a woman who founded a nonprofit to empower young women, and a lifelong public servant committed to justice. At the CCC, I fought to make this industry more equitable for those too often locked out of opportunity.”
WBJ has reached out to Camargo for more details on her decision to resign. Her resignation will be effective May 23, according to a statement made by Commissioner Bruce Stebbins at CCC's meeting on Monday.
With Camargo’s resignation, CCC now only has three of the five commissioner seats filled. The CCC chair position has remained vacant since September, when State Treasurer Deborah Goldberg fired then-Chair Shannon O’Brien after a yearlong suspension. O’Brien sued Goldberg over her decision to suspend and then fire her, with the court case still ongoing.
Stebbins is serving as acting chair in the interim.
Goldberg claimed she fired O’Brien after an investigation found she committed gross misconduct and demonstrated she is unable to discharge the powers and duties, while O’Brien claimed she was terminated for attempting to be a change agent at CCC, which has dealt with systemic issues involving infighting and a toxic workplace culture.
A person appointed to fill a vacancy may only serve the remainder of that term, meaning a potential replacement would serve less than seven months before being reappointed or replaced. Gov. Healey, Goldberg, and Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell will be tasked with finding Camargo’s replacement.
EDITOR'S NOTE: This article has been updated to provide details on the effective date of Nurys Camargo's resignation.
Eric Casey is the managing editor at Worcester Business Journal, who primarily covers the manufacturing and real estate industries.
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