Updated: April 4, 2026
By now, many of you have seen the news. The Town of Nantucket has issued a cease and desist order against ACK Natural, demanding we halt cannabis deliveries to our customers. We want to speak directly to our community — clearly, honestly, and without spin.
What Happened
On March 23rd, Town Manager Libby Gibson sent a letter to ACK Natural owner Doug Leighton claiming that our use of a licensed third-party cannabis courier, Social-J LLC, violated a local zoning bylaw and breached our Host Community Agreement with the town. The letter gave us 30 days to stop delivery or risk having our HCA terminated entirely.
We were blindsided. ACK Natural does not deliver cannabis products. Social-J does — and Social-J is a fully licensed marijuana courier operating legally under Massachusetts state law.
The paper trail actually started even earlier. On February 18th, Zoning Enforcement Officer Marcus Silverstein had already sent a violation notice to our landlords, Gary and Linda Yates, who own the Spearhead Drive property where ACK Natural operates. That letter cited §139-2 of the Nantucket Zoning Code and ordered the cannabis delivery program ended immediately and permanently — threatening fines for every day the violation continued. We are publishing that letter here so our community can read it for themselves.
Why We Believe the Town Is Wrong
Our attorney, Arthur Reade, has been clear on this point: state law supersedes local ordinance. The Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission’s own Municipal Zoning Tracker confirms that cannabis delivery is permitted on Nantucket. A licensed courier operating legally under state law is not subject to a local bylaw that attempts to prohibit what the state explicitly allows.
ACK Natural did not breach its Host Community Agreement. We engaged a licensed, state-approved courier. That is not a violation — that is exactly how the system is designed to work. As attorney Reade put it: “State law prevails.”
Who Social-J Is, and Why This Is Bigger Than Us
Social-J LLC is a Northampton-based cannabis courier that has been delivering our products to Nantucket customers since late October 2025. Jeffrey Shaheen, Social-J’s owner, is a Social Equity Program participant — meaning his courier license was earned through the Cannabis Control Commission’s program designed to support entrepreneurs from communities disproportionately harmed by the War on Drugs. Courier licenses of this type are currently only available to Social Equity operators.
This is not just a business dispute. The town’s enforcement action is aimed squarely at one of the most protected classes of cannabis license holders in the state. Shaheen had been employing two Nantucket residents as delivery drivers and had plans to open a local office and hire ten more island residents. That opportunity is now on hold.
We Have Taken This to the State
Because the Town has continued to press forward despite clear legal arguments to the contrary, we have formally written to the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission requesting their guidance and, if warranted, their intervention.
Our letter to the CCC raises three specific questions that have implications for cannabis operators across the entire state:
- Is the Town interpreting our Host Community Agreement in a way that illegally restricts delivery activity that is explicitly authorized under state law?
- Are municipalities exceeding the authority granted to them under M.G.L. c. 94G by using HCAs to impose operational restrictions that state law does not allow?
- Is it appropriate to characterize ACK Natural as “engaging in delivery” when all deliveries are performed by a separately licensed, independent courier?
These are not just our questions. They are questions the entire Massachusetts cannabis industry is watching. We are publishing our letter to the CCC here so our community can read exactly what we have asked, and why.
Letter to the Cannabis Control Commision:
Dear Commissioners,
I am writing on behalf of ACK Natural to request the Commission’s guidance regarding an ongoing dispute with the Town involving the interpretation and enforcement of our Host Community Agreement (HCA), and to ask whether the Commission believes intervention is warranted.
By way of background, we recently received correspondence from Town counsel alleging that ACK was in breach of the HCA’s “No Delivery” provision. This was based on third-party deliveries occurring on the island; however, ACK itself does not conduct deliveries. ACK is a retail operator only, and deliveries are performed by a separately licensed social equity third-party delivery operator.
Our firm responded to those initial emails asserting that the HCA provision does not apply because it contravenes state law regarding delivery of cannabis. Town counsel disagreed with our interpretation. Shortly thereafter, ACK’s landlord received a separate letter from the Town asserting that the property was in violation of the local zoning code due to the same third-party delivery activity. A local attorney engaged on ACK’s behalf responded to these issues through mid-March, after which the Town escalated the matter and issued the attached Notice of Material Breach.
We are seeking the Commission’s guidance because the Town’s position raises broader regulatory concerns, including whether (1) the HCA is being interpreted in a way that effectively restricts state-authorized delivery activity, (2) municipalities are exceeding their authority under M.G.L. c. 94G by imposing operational limitations through HCAs, and (3) ACK is being improperly characterized as “engaging in delivery” despite using independent licensed delivery operators.
Given ACK’s current financial constraints and inability to sustain prolonged litigation, we are requesting the Commission’s assistance in clarifying the proper scope of municipal authority in this context. If the Commission believes the Town is overstepping its authority, we respectfully request that it intervene or otherwise provide clear guidance to prevent continued enforcement action inconsistent with the CCC framework.
We appreciate your time and consideration and are happy to provide any additional information the Commission may need.
Sincerely,
Sira
-End Letter-
Where Things Stand Right Now
Out of respect for the process, we have voluntarily paused all deliveries while this is resolved. We have the legal right to continue delivering medical cannabis and have chosen not to — not because the town is correct, but because we’d rather resolve this the right way.
Social-J has sent a formal response to Town Manager Gibson, giving the town 10 days to retract what it describes as unlawful local enforcement. The Select Board discussed potential litigation in executive session on April 3rd.
The town has stated that cannabis delivery cannot resume on Nantucket unless voters approve an amendment to the local bylaw at Annual Town Meeting. We believe it should never have come to a vote — state law already permits delivery. But if the town insists on making this a community decision, we welcome that conversation, because we are confident Nantucket residents support access.
What This Means for You
If you have been relying on delivery — whether for mobility reasons, convenience, or privacy — we hear you, and we are sorry for the disruption. This was not our choice.
If you want your voice heard, now is the time. Attend a Select Board meeting. Email your town representatives. Let them know that Nantucket residents support legal, licensed, state-compliant cannabis delivery.
We have been part of this community for years, we grow here, we sell here, and we employ people here. Ack Natural are not going anywhere — and neither is our commitment to serving you the right way.
– Doug Leighton & the ACK Natural Team
In the News
This story has been covered by multiple local Nantucket outlets. Read the full reporting:
- Nantucket Current Town Issues Cease and Disist Order to Ack Natural to Stop Home Deliveries
- Daybreak / True Island Digital Newsletter — “Cannabis Clash Emerges” — April 2026
