From 10 a.m. to noon on Monday, August 27, the California Bureau of Cannabis Control (BCC) held their last hearing of the 45-day public comment period for the agency’s proposed non-emergency regulations.
Lori Ajax and Tamara Colson
In a meeting room at the Tsakapoulos Library Galleria in Sacramento, BCC Chief Lori Ajax along with Assistant Chief Counsel Tamara Colson welcomed citizens to present oral comments and written statements concerning the state’s cannabis rules.
In the two-hour meeting, a variety of patients, doctors, cultivators, distributors, CEOs, dispensary owners, processors, veterans organization members, and patients groups expressed their views, ideas, and concerns for the current state of the legal marijuana industry in California.
The steady stream of speakers came and talked in quick minute-and-a-half segments, addressing issues related to quality controls, consistent lab test standards, labeling rules, child-resistant packaging, industry regulations, testing costs, delivery regulations, and other related topics.
A representative named Kenny from the California Urban Partnership came and voiced his support of SB1294, a measure aimed at providing assistance to people who have been negatively affected by cannabis prohibition and are now wishing to enter the growing legal industry.
“A major Prop 64 deficiency is the absence of a state-leveled playing field for drug war victims to secure business licenses and capital now,” said Kenny. “At the same time state license approvals and regulations are happening. We believe it is imperative for the regulatory process to level the playing field now with a basic starting formula for equity.”
“The proposed regulations must be intentional about shaping the truly equitable cannabis industry now at the time that it matters most,” he said.
Packaging concerns were also addressed by some who attended the meeting, speaking about the amount of unnecessary environmental waste generated due to industry requirements.
Current state regulations went into effect in January and came with a six-month grace period to allow established cannabis businesses to sell existing product and make necessary internal changes before industry-wide rules became active on July 1.
