The legal Cannabis market is still in its infancy, and experiencing some major growing pains. One such growing pain is that of transparency. Customers and regulators want to be able to access information in regards to licensees, be they retail dispensaries, growers or cultivation facilities. With the internet, this has made this wish much easier to accomplish.
Up until last week, the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board (LCB) provided a map detailing locations of marijuana producers and processors. A recent string of burglaries has compelled the LCB to remove this map. There’s no confirmed correlation between the burglaries and the LCB’s disclosure of locations, but the state government has chosen to err on the side of caution. This information is still accessible by the public via a public records requests (as mandated by Washington law).
Interactive map on the LCB website displaying retail locations: http://wslcb.maps.arcgis.com/apps/View/index.html?appid=a84ba123b8d94a65aa03ae573a65c1aa
Regulating a previously illegal substance with a high black-market value is no easy feat.
Stringent security regulations are often stressed at the retail level, and less so for other licensees. It is pertinent to remember that security is a critical facet at any level of the cannabis economic chain.
How’s the health & well-being of your operational protocols to deter diversion?
At KL Security, we have a proven track record for compliance with state laws and security requirements. Utilizing the Total Harvest Coverage methodology for security plans as well as cannabis business operation improvements, we have successful projects in facilities in multiple states, helping leaders in the cannabis industry drive revenue and stay compliant with state laws.
Information has been gathered from sources deemed reliable but not guaranteed and is subject to change without notice.
On Monday, December 16, 2019, Senator Karen Tallian filed a marijuana reform package for the upcoming 2020 legislative session. This package addresses state wide decriminalization, hemp regulation reform, and calls for the establishment of a Cannabis regulatory department. Senator Tallian calls Indiana’s hemp laws ‘outdated and confusing’ as well as ‘a mess’. There will be opposition; Indiana is a conservative state. Governor Eric Holcomb, Republican, has said he will not support legalization while marijuana remains illegal at the federal level. (5)
Will there be more than corn in Indiana? The majority of residents hope so.
Roughly 80% of Hoosiers favor legalizing marijuana at some capacity (medicinal or recreation cannabis). (1)
The legalization of marijuana in neighboring states may have had an influence in this matter. Indiana borders Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, and Kentucky. Three out of four of these states (Illinois, Michigan, and Ohio) currently have legislature on the books allowing constituents to use Cannabis in one form or another without fear of criminal consequences. Kentucky is slated to vote on the issue of medical marijuana legalization in early 2020, so this may soon change. (2)
If Kentucky legalizes marijuana for medicinal use, Indiana will be completely surrounded by weed. It would be incredibly naïve to believe that visitors from neighboring states will not be bringing it with them when they cross state lines.
Would that be legal? No.
If these visitors were intercepted by law enforcement and prosecuted, would that add to Indiana’s overburdened criminal justice system? Yes.
Two (2) Indiana Counties have released statements on decriminalization of cannabis. In a state that is bordered by Four (4) others with legalized cannabis or hemp, these changes are welcomed by 80% of residents (1)
Some communities and officials are choosing to adapt with the times, and reallocate their resources. It is being recognized that pursuing these low level/nonviolent charges, may not be the wisest choice on how to spend taxpayer’s dollars. Perhaps police officers and court officials could be more influential to the overall safety of a community if they were able to spend more time catching violent offenders.
The Marion County prosecutor thinks so. Marion County is located in the center of the state, contains the state capital: Indianapolis, and is home to just shy of a million people. (US Census Bureau https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/marioncountyindiana)
“Mears announced Monday that his office will no longer prosecute certain marijuana possession offenses in Marion County. If a person possesses less than one ounce of marijuana, that person will not face formal charges from the prosecutor’s office, effective immediately. The policy is aimed at diverting resources to violent crimes, such as murder and sexual assault.” (3)
It now appears that Lake County officials may follow Marion County’s lead. This week, County officials discussed the option to modify marijuana possession from a criminal to a civil infraction. Under the new ordinance, individuals caught with small amounts of marijuana would be issued a ticket and ordered to pay a fine instead of going to jail.
“The Lake County Council has preliminarily endorsed an ordinance establishing a civil fine for marijuana possession, instead of requiring people caught with pot to go to jail. The change is being spurred by the forthcoming legalization of recreational marijuana in Illinois and Michigan.” (4)
These baby steps are a big deal to Hoosiers. This shows constituents that politicians are listening, and making the first moves toward legalization. Given these recent developments, how long will it be until Indiana changes laws and plans for legalization of marijuana? Time will tell.
Information has been gathered from sources deemed reliable but not guaranteed, and is subject to change without notice.
Information has been gathered from sources deemed reliable but not guaranteed, and is subject to change without notice.
