Tag: SOP

Cannabis Security Concerns in Washington Following Burglaries

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.

Schaneman, Bart. January 2, 2020. Washington states removes online map of cannabis businesses in response to recent burglaries. Marijuana Business Daily. Retrieved from: https://mjbizdaily.com/washington-state-regulators-remove-online-map-of-cannabis-businesses-in-response-to-recent-burglaries/

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