Regulations

The Oregon Health Authority (OHA), the agency tasked with regulating and overseeing the Oregon Medical Marijuana Program (OMMP), admitted in a report released Thursday that it has not provided adequate oversight of medical cannabis growers and other industry entities, the Associated Press reports. According to the OHA’s internal review, the program is ripe with the overproduction […]

California’s new testing regulations took effect July 1 and dispensaries across the state are fighting against the weight of new restrictions. According to a Desert Sun report, many are struggling to get anything on their shelves at all and no dispensary has enough product to fill their shelves. “I’m getting pictures every day of retailers that went […]

Since Oklahoma voters decided to legalize medical cannabis last month, state officials have fast-tracked the creation of regulatory guidelines for the new industry which, under the voter-approved law, are required within 60 days of the election. Pushback from concerned health officials, however, now threatens to stunt the program’s effectiveness from the outset, the Associated Press reports. […]

Maine lawmakers overwhelmingly approved a medical cannabis reform bill on Monday in a sweeping override of Republican Gov. Paul LePage’s veto, the Press Herald reports. The reforms will ease access to the program by allowing doctors to make cannabis recommendations for any condition that they think it might help, establishing six new medical cannabis dispensaries, permitting […]

The Oklahoma State Department of Health released the final draft of rules outlining the state’s newly established Medical Marijuana Authority program on Sunday, according to a KOCO 5 News report. The move was mandated by voters when they approved a ballot initiative last month legalizing the medical use of cannabis. A rough draft of the rules was first released for […]

On Sunday, July 1, California’s adult-use cannabis industry will undergo a major overhaul. When the industry kicked off in January, it came with a six-month grace period of “mandatory” but unenforced compliance. Most companies took advantage of this and have been conducting business as usual but, as that time comes to a close this weekend, […]

Maine legislators passed a bill on Tuesday with sweeping reforms for medical and adult-use cannabis laws in the state, the Press Herald reports. The bill is primarily focused on reforming Maine’s medical marijuana “caregiver” system — if passed, the bill would close some loopholes, give caregivers more freedom with their business, and give municipalities the ability […]

New rules for Vermont’s industrial hemp program will take effect July 1, according to a WCAX report. The state-level changes seek to reduce the likelihood of federal interference among the state’s hemp farmers. Specifically, Vermont’s new industrial hemp rules set up a lab certification standard under a cannabis quality control program through the Agency of Agriculture. […]

On Friday, Maine state Sen. Roger Katz (R-Augusta) proposed an amendment to a pending medical marijuana reform bill that would require all caregivers to acquire municipal approval to operate a storefront, the Portland Press Herald reports. The amendment is designed to patch a loophole between the adult-use bill passed into law in May and the state’s longer-standing medical […]

On Thursday, the Arkansas State Plant Board formally approved rules that will allow farmers to begin growing hemp in the state, according to Arkansas Online. The program was originally approved by the Arkansas General Assembly at the beginning of 2017 but was sidelined for over a year. Arkansas is the 37th state to approve an […]

Washington state is updating its cannabis packaging and labeling rules. The Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board (WSLCB) used information derived from a workgroup of I-502 stakeholders, the Department of Health, and the Washington State Poison Control Center to take a “global” look at cannabis packaging and labeling. They also included consumer surveys in the […]

On July 1, Vermont’s new adult-use cannabis laws will go into effect, overlapping the state’s existing medical cannabis rules, the Burlington Free Press reports. Soon, Vermont’s some 6,000 patients will find themselves in a confusing mire of regulations with no clear government guidance. “We need to figure out how to have two systems. Or for that […]

Detroit city officials are considering an ordinance that would create new location restrictions for medical cannabis operators and cap the number of medical cannabis companies allowed in the city at 75, according to a Detroit News report. It is the latest effort by Detroit officials to reign in the city’s medical cannabis industry. The changes, submitted […]

California’s adult-use cannabis marketplace opened for business in January, and although regulatory compliance has been mandatory for cannabis goods produced in 2018, many have avoided state-mandated testing. The second phase of regulations come into effect July 1, and cannabis companies in California are expected to be 100 percent compliant with all state and local laws. […]

The Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs is allowing unlicensed medical cannabis dispensaries to remain open until Sept. 15 without risking future licensing eligibility. Operators had faced a June 15 deadline; however, regulators have been slow in issuing licenses under the new regime approved by lawmakers in 2016. According to LARA, the extension allows […]

The California Bureau of Cannabis Control has proposed the state readopt and extend the current, emergency cannabis industry regulations. Previous regulations called for the merging of the medical cannabis industry (MCRSA) and adult-use industry (AUMA) into what’s now known as MAUCRSA, governed by the Bureau of Cannabis Control. As part of the current regulations, applicants have […]

Doug Esposito is the Cannabis Practice Leader for Owen-Dunn Insurance Services, a Sacramento-based shared partners brokerage. In the following interview, Doug joins our podcast host TG Branfalt to talk about insurance options for the cannabis industry as it continues to take root and grow into the mainstream. We hear from Doug what typical cannabis industry […]

In order to address ongoing issues with Leaf Data Systems (LDS) — Washington state’s traceability database, built by MJ Freeway — the Washington State Liquor Control Board (LCB) is in negotiations with Gartner Consulting to do an independent evaluation of the LDS’ implementation. Already holding a contract with the LCB, the firm will be asked […]

Maine lawmakers have overridden Gov. Paul LePage’s veto of the recreational cannabis implementation bill, setting the stage for sales to begin in early 2019, the Bangor Daily News reports. The House voted 109-39 while the Senate voted 28-6 to override the veto. The re-written law is opposed by Legalize Maine. The measure makes significant changes […]

The Boston, Massachusetts Zoning Commission has approved regulations that will allow retail cannabis businesses to operate in any of the city’s business districts, the Boston Globe reports. The rules neither allow cannabis businesses from opening within a half-mile from one another, nor within 500 feet from kindergarten, elementary, or secondary schools. City officials have said […]

Maine’s Senate has passed the bill to implement the voter-approved recreational cannabis laws 24-10, making it veto-proof from Gov. Paul LePage, the Portland Press Herald reports. A final legislative review of the measure is still required before it heads to LePage but barring any issues the first recreational licenses will be issued in spring of […]

Maine’s House has passed a bill that would see the state’s first recreational cannabis licenses issued in spring 2019, the Portland Press Herald reports. The measure passed 112-34, which gives it a vote-cushion from a potential veto by Republican Gov. Paul LePage. What’s in the bill: Recreational retailers would be allowed to purchase product from […]

The Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission has received more than 200 adult-use cannabis industry applications since they began accepting some applications on Tuesday, the State House News Service reports. Presently, the agency is only accepting applications from current medical cannabis dispensary owners who wish to sell their products to adults 21-and-older and empowerment applications. The majority […]

Starting today, the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission will begin accepting applications for priority certification as registered marijuana dispensaries and economic empowerment applicants. Those granted priority certification will be allowed to apply for commercial applications on Apr. 16; all other license types will start their application process on May 1 or June 1, depending on the […]