General Regulatory Procedures

Cultivation to Sale

The new laws provide strict regulations regarding the chain of cannabis from cultivation to dispensary sales. First, cultivators must send their product directly to a distributor, who tests for quality assurance. The distributor then inspects the marijuana to ensure its identity and quantity. Once this has been verified, the distributor sends a random sample to a testing facility, which issues a certificate of analysis stating that the product is fit for manufacturing or retail. At that point, the distributor commences a quality assurance review, which again ensures the quantity and content of the cannabis, along with verification of tracking and taxation information for the state. Prior to its arrival at a retail facility, licensed cultivators and manufacturers package or seal all the cannabis in tamper-evident packaging and mark it with its unique identifier number. This must also be completed prior to the product’s transport or delivery to a licensee, qualified patient, or caregiver. Finally, a qualified transporter must operate all movement of the product from cultivation to its arrival at a dispensary.