Craft the Rules for America’s Largest Marijuana Marketplace

The hunt for cannabis knowledge is on as the agency responsible for crafting the rules and regulations around the multi-billion dollar medical and upcoming adult-use marijuana market in California searches for interested persons to serve on on an advisory board.

Lori Ajax, the chief of the Bureau of Medical Cannabis Regulation (BMCR), said the licensing authority is looking for a wide spectrum of people with experience in areas such as cannabis manufacturing, cultivation and public health to serve on the committee. This group will help the BMCR, as the overarching state agency responsible for establishing both medical and adult-use marijuana systems by a Jan. 1, 2018 deadline, ensure that the new programs are workable.

“We feel good about where we’re at right now,” Ajax said when asked about the upcoming deadline.

Ajax said that the BMCR is responsible for creating proposed regulations, a step which will be followed by a reading from the Office of Administrative Law and a public comment period before the rules become law. She said applications for several types of medical and adult-use licenses will begin to be issued in the next few months.

And while she noted that an emergency regulation process may be implemented in order to meet the deadline, this will likely only apply to the micro-business license portion of the adult-use program, as the medical and 21-and-over markets will overlap in terms of applicable rules.

“A lot of [the medical rules] will go into the adult-use regulations,” she said.

The task before the BMCR includes establishing a full licensing system as well as a track and trace program as seen in other recreational marketplaces such as Colorado and Washington state. To apply for the committee, which remains in the planning stages in terms of time commitment, interested persons are encouraged to submit an application.

While the document calls for both references and letters of recommendation, Ajax said the application process is consistent to applying for other advisory boards and bureaus within the Golden State. As of now, there is no cut off point for the committee applications as the agency intends to remain open and flexible to all interested applicants.

“We really want to hear from people,” Ajax said.

TELL US, are you interested in being a part of the advisory board?