California’s Wild West of medical marijuana is about to be tamed, on the eve of a historic vote that could greatly expand recreational use of cannabis.
Just as labeling allows consumers to trust the difference in potency between a strawberry-rosé spritzer and 190-proof grain alcohol, new state regulations will demand testing, labeling, certification and licensing medical marijuana — every step along the way, from seed to sale.
The new rules, starting in 2018, could also boost pot prices, as businesses face more paperwork, permits, licenses and other new requirements, driving up their costs — and likely pushing some mom-and-pop growers and dispensaries out of business.
While the changes may complicate doing business, the goal is simple, said Lori Ajax, the state’s first weed czar.
“We are looking to protect patients, the public and the environment,” Ajax said during a “pre-regulatory” meeting in Oakland last week for the commercial cannabis industry hosted by her fledgling state Bureau of Medical Cannabis Regulation.
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Just as labeling allows consumers to trust the difference in potency between a strawberry-rosé spritzer and 190-proof grain alcohol, new state regulations will demand testing, labeling, certification and licensing medical marijuana — every step along the way, from seed to sale.
The new rules, starting in 2018, could also boost pot prices, as businesses face more paperwork, permits, licenses and other new requirements, driving up their costs — and likely pushing some mom-and-pop growers and dispensaries out of business.
While the changes may complicate doing business, the goal is simple, said Lori Ajax, the state’s first weed czar.
“We are looking to protect patients, the public and the environment,” Ajax said during a “pre-regulatory” meeting in Oakland last week for the commercial cannabis industry hosted by her fledgling state Bureau of Medical Cannabis Regulation.
Read more
