Tag: security planning

THC & Tennessee: Legislators Working to Legalize Marijuana

UPDATE:

March 10, 2020

A bill was introduced to the Tennessee House of Representatives proposing the legalization of marijuana for medicinal use. The measure, House Bill 637, was introduced by Representatives Ron Travis & Jason Hodges.

The Tennessee Medical Cannabis Act (House Bill 637) provides framework for establishing regulatory organizations, basic rules, approved conditions, and tax allocation.

You can read the bill in its entirety here.

January 28, 2020

Several politicians in Tennessee are diligently trying to bring the green market to the Smokey Mountains. A bill was drafted last year, but at the 11th hour decidedly not introduced. The authors felt the bill lacked support, and deemed more conversation was needed with various state agencies and departments to garner backing before bringing to the floor.

 

Earlier this month, medical marijuana supporters pleaded with law enforcement to support the law should it be brought forth. Police are struggling to reconcile federal law with hypothetical state law. Marijuana is still scheduled within the same class as Heroin federally, and possession over a ½ ounce in Tennessee is a felony3.

 

Yesterday, State Senator Raumesh Akbari filed a bill to legalize the sale of marijuana to all citizens over the age of 21. Historically, states will legalize marijuana for medicinal use first. This jumps this initial step and goes directly to the complete decriminalization and legal sale. Senator Akbari’s bill is exuberant and enthusiastic given the climate in Tennessee. Perhaps he’s hoping this bill will be the harbinger for change; even if it’s minimal compared to his current requests.

 

“Tennessee’s tough-on-crime possession laws have trapped too many of our citizens in cycles of poverty, and they haven’t actually stopped anyone from obtaining marijuana,” Akbari said, as quoted by the Memphis Flyer. “The enforcement of these laws in particular [has] cost our state billions, contributed to a black market that funds criminal organizations and accelerated the growth of incarceration in Tennessee’s jails and prisons. Tennesseans deserve better.” – Senator Raumesh Akbari, High Times Magazine 1

 

Senators Steve Dickerson and Janice Bowling are both vocal in their support for medical marijuana and have expressed intentions to introduce legislature in 2020. They will face obstruction from Governor Bill Lee; he opposes the legalization of marijuana for medical use.

 

The winds of change are sweeping the nation. Will Tennessee be among the next batch of states to enter the green rush? We shall soon see.

 

At KL Security, we have a proven track record for helping cannabis growers, processors, transportation and retail dispensaries with security planning and operational protocols to meet compliance with state laws and security requirements. Utilizing the Total Harvest Coverage methodology for cannabis facility security plans as well as cannabis business operation improvements, we have successful projects in facilities in multiple states, including the Midwest,  helping leading cannabis businesses and CRB meet state requirements for compliance in the ever changing world of cannabis legalization and decriminalization.

 

 

Information has been gathered from sources deemed reliable but not guaranteed and is subject to change without notice.

 

  1. Edward, Thomas. January 27, 2020. Tennessee Senator Files Bill to Allow Sale and Taxation of Marijuana. High Times Magazine. Retrieved from: https://hightimes.com/news/tennessee-senator-files-bill-to-allow-sale-and-taxation-of-marijuana/
  2. Kelman, Brett. January 9, 2020. Medical marijuana advocates urge Tennessee police not to oppose new legislation. The Nashville Tennessean. Retrieved from: https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/politics/2020/01/09/medical-marijuana-tennessee-advocates-new-bill/2835015001/
  3. norml.com

 

 

Oklahoma Marijuana Licenses & Cannabis Business Operations

Legal Medical Marijuana in Oklahoma takes due diligence and planning for success

The state of Oklahoma became the 30th state to legalize medical marijuana in August of 2018, they offer a series of licenses for cannabis businesses to support the growing, processing and retail sale of marijuana. The Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority is the governing body in OK and the definitive source for rules, compliance regulations, laws and protocols for diversion and reporting .

Licensees fall into three (3) very clear and concise categories for medical marijuana as follows:

Commercial Grow & Growers Operation License – commercial growers that are licensed in Oklahoma have the ability to legally seller cannabis to licensed retailer dispensaries and licensed packagers (think processors of cannabis). From a business operations standpoint, this is a wholesale exchange and does not include taxation per Oklahoma state laws.  It’s important to note that licensed commercial growers may not sell cannabis directly to a medical marijuana license holder. Those businesses that are licensed commercial grow operations (indoor cultivation) are only allowed to legally sell marijuana at the wholesale level to a licensed retail dispensary and licensed marijuana processor facilities. The design of these transactions is vital to compliance and regulation of security requirements, reporting, tracking and inventory management rules.

Medical Marijuana Processing License – a cannabis processor in Oklahoma that is licensed has the ability to take cannabis marijuana plants from the commercial grower and process said plants as concentrates, shatter, dabs, edibles, tinctures, terpenes, and other forms for consumption. Any licensed processor in Oklahoma may sell marijuana products it creates to the licensed retail dispensary and/or other licensed processors. Licensed processors may also process cannabis plants, into a concentrated form, for a medical license holder, for a fee.

Consider Total Harvest Coverage methodology for compliance & business operations to drive revenue.

Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Dispensary – those that apply for an have received a medical marijuana retailer license can conduct retail sale of marijuana, or cannabis derived products (oils, tinctures, salves, terpines, etc) provided by licensed processors. It is important to note that cannabis products can only be sold to license holders.

Business Plans & Security Planning 

In order for any business to be successful, it requires thorough planning and business strategy to be in place from the onset. Cannabis compliance and standard operating procedures are the foundation for maintaining cannabis facility design standards in Oklahoma and the keys to long term success. Below are key components that you may need a consultant to complete and advise upon:

  • Thorough and Comprehensive Business Plans
  • Legal & Documented License Applications
  • Security Plans & Compliance
  • Business Operations & Protocols for Compliance
  • Operational Procedures
  • Diversion Reporting
  • Business Continuity & Disaster Recovery

Integrated security planning and programming go hand-in-hand with the architectural plans and floor plan layouts to ensure total harvest coverage from seed-to-sale. Security cameras and video surveillance, along with alarm systems and monitoring are a vital part of success in the cannabis sector. For more information on marijuana facility planning and security standards for design, call 866.867.0306

Marijuana Licensing in Missouri: An Abundance of Applicants

Protocols for Security Planning & Architectural Programming

The state of Missouri is in the process of establishing a system to regulate the sale of marijuana for medicinal use. And, it would appear Missourians are eager to cash in.

The state is offering an initial 348 licenses for marijuana businesses. These licenses include: cultivation, dispensaries, manufacturing, testing labs, and transporters. The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services received over 2,000 applications. [1]

The lucky winners will be announced December 31, 2019. It is estimated that cannabis facilities will open mid 2020 in Missouri.

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All cultivation, dispensing, and manufacturing facilities are required to utilize security cameras as per 2019 MO Regulation Text 25597

Proper planning to ensure compliance with state regulations is vital to ensure protocols for diversion and reporting are met.

3 Key Components to Designing Intelligent Video Surveillance Systems

Assessment, Planning & Design – Work with experts to evaluate compliance with state laws and meeting business goals. This will help to identify gaps or challenges and put a plan in place for strategic initiatives that will improve cannabis business success.

Architectural Planning & Programming – Working closing with a surveillance system expert and your architect is vital to ensuring that both the compliance requirements are met as well as the schematic designs are planned, implemented and deployed correctly. Seasoned consultants and camera experts will be able to integrate intelligent video analytics (IVA) Intelligent IP video cameras and searchlight software into existing buildings and new construction environments.

Operate & Optimize – the Total Harvest Coverage methodology is implemented by leading cannabis businesses to ensure seed-to-sale compliance, reporting and to improve operations. Using a scalable platform, cannabis businesses can start with security cameras, data storage and smart-safe point of sale (SSPOS) systems to create a 360 degree view of the operation to meet compliance requirements.

According to the 2019 MO Regulation Text 25597 -, the following security equipment requirements must be met for safes, vaults and surveillance systems

(H)  All cultivation, infused products manufacturing, and dispensary facilities shall ensure the security of medical marijuana and facility employees by taking at least the following measures:

  1. Facilities shall install and maintain security equipment designed to prevent unauthorized entrance into limited access areas and to prevent diversion and inversion of medical marijuana including:
  2. Devices or a series of devices to detect unauthorized intrusion, which may include a signal system interconnected with a radio frequency method, such as cellular or private radio signals, or other mechanical or electronic devices;
  3. Except in the case of outdoor cultivation, exterior lighting to facilitate surveillance, which shall cover the exterior and perimeter of the facility;
  4. Electronic video monitoring, including

(I)  At least one (1) call-up monitor that is nineteen inches (19″) or more;

(II)  A printer capable of immediately producing a clear still photo from any video camera image;

(III)  Video cameras with a recording resolution of at least 1920 x 1080, or the equivalent, at a rate of at least fifteen (15) frames per second, that operate in such a way as to allow identification of people and activities in the monitored space, in all lighting levels, that are capable of being accessed remotely by the department or a law enforcement agency in real-time upon request, and that provide coverage of

(a)  All entrances and exits of the facility, including windows, and all entrances and exits from limited access areas;

(b)  The perimeter and exterior areas of the facility, including at least twenty feet (20′) of space around the perimeter of an outdoor grow area;

(c)  Each point-of-sale location;

(d)  All vaults or safes; and

(e)  All medical marijuana, from at least two (2) angles, where it is cultivated, cured, trimmed, processed, rendered unusable, and disposed;

(IV)  A method for storing recordings from the video cameras for at sixty (60) days in a secure on-site or off-site location or through a service or network that provides on-demand access to the recordings and that allows for providing copies of the recordings to the department upon request and at the expense of the facility;

(V)  A failure notification system that provides an audible and visual notification of any failure in the electronic monitoring system; and

(VI)  Sufficient battery backup for video cameras and recording equipment to support at least sixty (60) minutes of recording in the event of a power outage;

 

When you’re ready to begin the process of security planning for your cannabis business operation, the consultants at KL Security are available to assist with plans, security equipment, ArmorStor vaults, THC360 and more. Well versed in government regulations and recent legal mandates, we are prepared to help your business plan and pass requirements for Cannabis facility design and security programming.

 

*information not available as to how many transporter licenses will be awarded

[1] Schiller, Melissa. (2019, September 5). Cannabis Business Times. Missouri Receives More Than 2,000 Medical Cannabis Business License Applications. Retrieved from:  https://www.cannabisbusinesstimes.com/article/missouri-receives-more-than-2000-medical-cannabis-business-license-applications/

Information has been gathered from sources deemed reliable but not guaranteed, subject to change without notice.

How High-End Dispensaries & Large-Scale Growers Drive Profits & Gain Competitive Advantages

Integrating Security Requirements, Video Surveillance & Data

As competition in the cannabis and marijuana markets increases, the keys to long term success for any cannabusiness point to operational efficiency, quality assurance, customer service, regulatory compliance and market penetration. With proper planning, the consultants and advisors at KL Security are setting the new standards for cannabis facility design and security by integrating security standards, data and video that results in greater business success. Leading cannabis facilities start with this end goal during security planning.

Track product at your cultivation facility – RFID combined with video can tell you the last time a plant or cannabis product was seen

Top 4 Challenges a Cannabusiness faces to meet state-mandated requirements for surveillance:

  • – Camera types and placements
  • – Resolution and frame rates
  • – Retention periods and off-site storage
  • – RFID tag verification

 

How Video & Data Help Cannabusinesses at any level:

 In Cultivation Facilities

  • Tracking automation and a visual record of each plant’s location
  • How a plant may have been removed or misplaced and who was involved
  • Reveal where more staff training is required (improve operations & success)
  • Seamlessly share video and RFID data evidence with law enforcement

    Reduce your security risk, keep drivers safe, and maintain regulatory compliance for your state or municipality
  • Combined with access control systems, modular vaults, restricted access areas and storage rooms or cages, automated reports with video snapshots can show operators when shifts aren’t starting as scheduled, or find out why one product is taking longer to dry in one cultivation facility compared to the rest

Cannabis In Transit & Secure Transportation Services

  • View marijuana inventory as it’s loaded at the cultivation facility, as it is being transported, and as it is being unloaded at the retail dispensary locations
  • Integrate video with vehicle data, such as a GPS location or speed, to see information on the transport route from start to finish. This can provide proof that a vehicle has not accidentally crossed into a U.S. state where cannabis sale is still illegal

 At the Retail Dispensary

  • Video integrated with POS data can help dispensary operators cut losses by setting up alerts triggered by suspect transactions, such as voids over a set amount
  • Run searches across multiple dispensary locations simultaneously
  • Using video and analytics like people counting, queue length or dwell time, operators can see how long customers waited in line, of they spent more time in front of a certain promotional display, or if they left the dispensary without making a purchase

    Gather valuable metrics on operations and customer service

 

 

Tracking and Security of Cannabis Plants and Products through the Supply Chain to Retail Dispensary

 

How Business Analytics become Competitive Advantages

With a full view of the retail dispensary, it’s easier for companies to discover  customer trends that can be turned into higher profits, repeat business and brand loyalty.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

  • See how many customers are in your store at any given time.
  • Determine conversion rates of walk-in traffic.
  • Identify the average number of people waiting in a line or queue, and average amount of time they waited.
  • Learn how long people dwell in a particular area of your dispensary such as display counters or in-store online order systems.
  • Establish KPIs, based on factors like:

— Which store turns more shoppers into buyers if you have multiple retail dispensaries

— The time or day that most people are waiting in line, and for how long (to measure customer service and implement staffing changes). Such as happy hours, Friday afternoon or evening, payday, start of the weekend and other key times of the week.

— The success of a particular end-cap or promotion that may be in effect through advertising campaigns or POS integrations with Weedmaps, Leafly, Wikileaf, Baker, springbig and others.

  • Export business analytics data to an Excel file to incorporate into your own charts and reports or CRM systems.

To learn more about standards for cannabis facility design and security, call 866-867-0306 today