California has led the cannabis reform movement in many ways in the United States, starting with being the first state to legalize medical all the way back in 1996. While a handful of states beat the Golden State to the punch in legalizing for all adults in both 2012 and 2014, the world’s sixth largest
As I blogged yesterday, California regulators made the wise decision in its final rules to allow cannabis retailers to make deliveries into cities and counties that have banned regulated businesses. Allowing deliveries across the state is the compassionate and practical choice to make. It is compassionate because patients with mobility issues shouldn’t be forced to
The California cannabis industry has had its share of ups and downs as regulating cannabis commerce in the world’s sixth-largest economy has proven to be rather difficult and complicated. However, some relief may be on the horizon as licensed businesses, and those about to be licensed, can at least have some certainty in the rules and
Ending cannabis prohibition is a no-brainer whose time has come. It is obvious that cannabis prohibition is a costly failure that causes too much harm with racist and classist consequences. Regulating cannabis, however, is a much tougher job than just removing criminal penalties, as there isn’t a clear path to the best policies for any
Opening up a licensed and regulated cannabis business is not a get-rich-quick venture, as many have likely found out. Getting into the cannabis industry is best left to those that truly love the cannabis plant and want to help improve the plight of the cannabis community. There are so many unique bureaucratic challenges facing the
The Bureau of Cannabis Control just released its draft rules which now go into a 30-day review process before the Office of Administrative Law. While there are certainly pluses and minuses of the draft rules that will be debated by the cannabis industry and other stakeholders of the coming months, the decision by the BCC
While the three agencies regulating various aspects of the California cannabis industry, the Bureau of Cannabis Control (BCC), the Department of Food and Agriculture, and the Department of Public Health will be submitting their draft today (December 3rd), the public is not expected to get a look at them until January. Draft rules were released last
It’s no secret that the rollout of California’s cannabis legalization laws has been slow-going. Moving at a cautious speed that has seen the first annual licenses just starting to be issued, the Bureau of Cannabis Control has favored a steady approach. In the BCC’s defense, no regulatory body has yet to deal with as big
Voting to legalize, regulate, and tax cannabis at the statewide ballot box is just a part of the political battle for the California cannabis community, and any state that has or will end prohibition within its borders. With strong support among voters across demographics, passing a legalization measure is much easier than implementing the most
Everyone involved in the regulated cannabis industry over the past few years understands that rules will be announced and then amended and then amended again. It is imperative to stay up-to-date on the latest developments and to align with common interests to make the cannabis industry work for all involved, one of the values of
