The Bureau of Cannabis Control is the lead agency in developing regulations for medical and adult-use cannabis in California. The Bureau is responsible for licensing retailers, distributors, testing labs and microbusinesses.

On May 18, 2018, the Bureau of Cannabis Control, California Department of Public Health and California Department of Food and Agriculture proposed to readopt their emergency regulations. The three licensing authorities proposed changes to the regulatory provisions to provide greater clarity to licensees and to address issues that have arisen since the emergency regulations went into effect in December 2017. Highlighted among the changes is that applicants may now complete one license application and obtain one license to conduct medicinal and adult-use cannabis activity.

The Bureau’s emergency cannabis regulations were officially readopted on June 4, 2018, and are now in effect as of June 6, 2018. The readopted emergency regulations will remain in effect for 180 days. During this time, the Bureau will engage in the regular rulemaking process to adopt its final non-emergency regulations. http://www.bcc.ca.gov/law_regs/index.html

DISTRIBUTORS

Distributor licensees are responsible for transporting cannabis goods, arranging for testing of cannabis goods, and conducting quality assurance review of cannabis goods to ensure they comply with all the packaging and labeling requirements. Distributor transport licenses allow for the transport of cannabis goods between licensed cultivators, manufacturers, and distributors. A distributor transport licensee may not transport cannabis goods to a licensed retailer and may not engage in any other distributor activates. http://www.bcc.ca.gov/licensees/distributors.html

RETAILERS

A Retailer (storefront) sells cannabis goods to customers at its premises or by delivery. A retailer must have a licensed physical location (premises) where commercial cannabis activites are conducted. A retailer (nonstorefront) licensee must have a licensed premises, but it is not open to the public. http://www.bcc.ca.gov/licensees/retailers.html

TESTING LABORATORIES

A testing laboratory, facility, or entity in the state that offers or performs tests of cannabis goods. Testing laboratories must obtain and maintain ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation. Testing laboratories may be issued a provisional license allowing them to operate while they obtain ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation, provided they meet all other licensure requirements. http://www.bcc.ca.gov/licensees/testing_labs.html

MICROBUSINESSS

Allows a licensee to engage in cultivation (on an area less than 10,000 square feet), manufacturing (Level 1 manufacturing, Type 6), distribution, and retail sale, or any combination of the four activities. Licensees will be required to comply with all rules and regulations, which will include, where applicable, regulations adopted by the California Department of Food and Agriculture and the California Department of Public Health, governing the activates they are engaged in. http://www.bcc.ca.gov/licensees/microbusinesses.html

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