Cannabis Facility Security Requirements for New York

By: Colene King


After several years of back and forth, it has finally become a reality for New York: on March 31, 2021, the Empire State became the 15th state in the nation to legalize the adult use of marijuana. The state will now begin the process of building the cannabis market.


New York has had a slow start with the roll out of the new market, but they are hopeful the new governor will get the process back on track. The Cannabis Control Board finally has its members in place and will now begin issuing the regulations that will control the licensing process. Recently, the head of New York’s cannabis control board said she does not anticipate any licenses being issued until the spring of 2023 at the earliest. (Branfalt, 2021)

 

Though the security requirements are yet to be determined, we have a good idea of what to expect. Medical use of marijuana became legal for New York in 2014. Currently, New York’s security requirements for medical manufacturing and dispensing facilities are similar to what you would find elsewhere. 


When seeking approval for licensure, any quality physical security plan will include specific details about each individual component the State of New York will ultimately require.  Examples include, modular cannabis vaults, high security safes with TL15 or TL30 ratings, DEA approved cages for processing facilities, security camera systems and cash management safes (trust us, you don’t want to hand count all of that cash).

 


ArmorStor™ Modular Vaults & Doors
ArmorStor™ secure and reinforced rooms can be installed in existing facilities or scaled to full size in new construction. The modular panels are built up to the equivalent of 24” thick poured concrete vaults with 4 layers of rebar at a fraction of the weight and installation costs.

 

Summit Series SM1 Bill Validating Safes
With immediate view of cash activities across single or multiple locations, the ability to maximize cash flow and reduce cash shrinkage is greatly enhanced. The compact size allows the SM1 to be placed in locations where space is at a premium and still provide enough capacity to minimize the frequency of cash pickups.

 

 

Below is an outline of the known security requirements for the State of New York Medical Use Regulations :

 

 

  1. Alarms and motion detectors
    • Perimeter alarm
    • Duress Alarm – silent security alarm system signal
    • Panic Alarm – audible security alarm system signal requiring law enforcement response
    • Hold up alarm – a silent security alarm system signaling a robbery in progress
    • Motion detectors
    • Back up alarm system to detect entry when no employees are present at facility
    • Failure notification system notifying of any failures within 5 minutes
    • Automatic voice dialer or digital dialer that, when activated, sends a prerecorded message to law enforcement, public safety, or emergency services, requesting dispatch
  2. Video Surveillance
    • All areas containing marijuana, all entry and exit points, all safes and vaults, and all areas where marijuana sales take place
    • Cameras are able to capture clear and certain identification of any person entering or exiting the facility
    • 24 hour recording for all video cameras and must be retained for at least 90 days
    • Recordings available for immediate viewing at any time
    • The ability to produce a clear still photo at a minimum of 9600 dpi from any camera
    • Accurate date and time stamp on all recordings
    • Ability to remain operational through a power outage
    • Video recordings are able to be exported to an industry standard image format
    • Surveillance rooms must not be used for any other purpose
    • Keep a current list of authorized employees who have access to surveillance room
  3. Exterior of premises must be kept illuminated
    • Securely locked at all times, protected from unauthorized entry
  4. Visitor log kept of all persons that access any secured areas
    • Must include name, date, time, and purpose of the visit
    • Log must be available to the department at all times upon request
  5. Security system and equipment must be kept in a secure location.
    • System must be tested twice a year, retaining results for a minimum of 5 years
  6. Storage
    • Safes, vaults, or other approved equipment must be securely locked at all times
    • Keys, combination numbers, passwords, etc. only accessible to authorized individuals
    • Marijuana stored in a secure area at all times, accessible only to authorized employees.
  7. Transportation
    • Before transporting, a shipping manifest must be completed and transmitted to receiving destination 2 days prior to transport
      • Copy of manifest kept in vehicle during transport
      • Manifests must be retained for 5 years
    • Marijuana and products transported in a locked storage compartment not visible from outside the vehicle
    • No unnecessary stops taken along the way
    • Delivery times are randomized
    • Minimum of two employees staffing the transport vehicle, with one of them remaining in vehicle at all times while the vehicle contains marijuana.

 


There are high hopes for the marijuana market in New York. Not only is it believed to have a potential to create $350 million in annual tax revenue, but also bring along 30,000-60,000 new jobs for New Yorkers. (Bort, 2021) There is still much work to be done before the New York market is operational, but once it does, it is sure to be profitable for all cannabis licensees and other stakeholders.


The security experts here at KL Security are excited to begin the new year at CannaCon in New York City January 7th-8th at the Javits Center in downtown Manhattan.  If you’re interested in opening a cannabis facility in New York and becoming part of what is projected to be a very lucrative market, now is the perfect time to start doing research and formulating a physical security plan.  Allow us to be the experts you rely on for your security needs, so you can focus on your overall business plan.  Please take a moment to stop by booth 445 at CannaCon and start a conversation with us about your cannabis facility plans.



Sources:


https://regs.health.ny.gov/content/section-100413-security-requirements-manufacturing-and-dispensing-facilities

https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-news/new-york-weed-marijuana-legalization-1148949/

https://www.ganjapreneur.com/new-york-will-not-issue-adult-use-licenses-until-2023/

ArmorStor & KL Security at 2022 New York CannaCon

By: Colene King | October 26, 2021


It’s official; flights are booked and the hotel is reserved! ArmorStor & KL security are headed to the Javits Center in New York City from January 7th-8th.

 

At the start of the 2022 New Year, a few of our cannabis facility experts from KL Security will be headed Northeast to attend the New York CannaCon. CannaCon is one of the largest, oldest, and most successful cannabis trade shows nationwide: an exciting event for exhibitors to come and show off the latest technologies available to the cannabis market. Various industry leaders, providing everything a cannabis entrepreneur might need from seed to sale, will be joined together.  CannaCon is a one stop shop: lighting, web design, payroll processing, extraction equipment, financing options and our specialty, physical security items such as our ArmorStor line of vaults and vault doors, cages, camera systems, safes and cash management solutions. Cannacon also features educational seminars covering a wide variety of cannabis related topics.


On March 31st of this year, New York became the 15th state to legalize the recreational use of marijuana, allowing adults over the age of 21 to legally buy and consume marijuana. The recent legalization within New York and the Cannacon trade show allows new potential licensees to begin planning operations and meet with potential suppliers, advisors, and service providers. The state of New York is expecting the first recreational dispensary to open legally towards the end of 2022. Regulations have to be set, licenses need to be obtained, and the first legal seeds need to be sown.


Once recreational sales begin, it is projected New York will bring in $1.2 billion in sales by 2023 and $4.2 billion by 2027. According to the governor’s administration, New York State is hoping to be able to collect $350 million in tax revenue annually. (Yakowicz, 2021) Not only will the legalization of marijuana bring in revenue for the state, but it will also create thousands of new job opportunities for New Yorkers.


KL Security is eager to attend this event at such a pivotal time for the state, allowing us to showcase the best end-to-end security solutions for compliance, profit protection, and business operation optimization.



Vice President of Sales for KL Security, Travis Easter, had this to say on the upcoming trade show:



“Our team is very excited to attend the NY CannaCon event in January.  Over the past few years, we have met a lot of great entrepreneurs, as well as many industry partners, at CannaCon events throughout the country that we’ve helped implement a holistic security plan, programming and physical security solutions that help drive their compliance and bottom line forward.  We will be available at Booth # 445 to answer any questions you might have about securing your facility, with experts that can help guide you through the process of realizing your dream.

We will be prepared to discuss your needs one-on-one, providing real time price quotes so you can start budgeting for the future.   

Manufacturers and industry partners, many of which we have met numerous times, are also invited to stop by our booth to discuss potential partnerships and opportunities.”


We look forward to helping new licensees become successful within New York’s recreational cannabis market. See you there!



Sources:

https://norml.org/news/2021/08/12/analysis-legal-cannabis-sales-projected-to-reach-43-billion-by-2025/

https://www.forbes.com/sites/willyakowicz/2021/03/31/new-york-state-legalizes-adult-use-cannabis/?sh=71a4510d395c

https://www.ganjapreneur.com/angela-grelle-the-future-of-cannabis-trade-shows/

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