California Department of Cannabis Control outlines regulatory revisions

California Department of Cannabis Control (DCC) officials have outlined a series of cannabis regulations revisions to provide simplification, ease licensee challenges and bolster consumer protections.

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“The adoption of these regulations represents DCC’s commitment to advance rational regulatory improvements that remove unnecessary and burdensome regulatory challenges for cannabis operators and advance protections for consumers,” DCC Director Nicole Elliott said. “I want to applaud the contributions of our many partners, including our licensees, public health officials, and local cannabis regulators, for providing valuable feedback and input during this important process.”

The regulatory revisions, per authorities, include addressing enhanced consumer and youth protections by restricting harmful ingredients and youth-friendly flavoring in inhalable products and expanding prohibitions on marketing, advertising, and merchandise attractive to youth.

The DCC indicated state licensing requirements will be simplified through revised regulatory measures that include eliminating the requirement to provide extensive financial documentation and removing the requirement for businesses to continuously update lists of low-level investors.

According to the DCC, the state agency would support licensed cannabis business success through greater flexibility that includes providing outdoor cultivators with the flexibility to utilize traditional light deprivation without requiring a license change and expanding opportunities for farmers and product manufacturers to participate in cannabis events and showcase products to consumers.