By Alex Halperin, Editor and Publisher
While California’s market remains challenging for many operators, the year’s legislative session ended with Gov. Gavin Newsom signing a slew of industry supported legislation designed to normalize the plant and the business surrounding it.
Of these the most closely watched lays the foundation for interstate trade. The bill, the nation’s second after New Jersey, allows the state to make trade agreements with other states, subject to testing, labeling and other requirements. Though interstate trade likely remains a few years off, and could have unpredictable results, the industry generally applauded the law for creating new markets for California products and potentially influencing federal reforms
Additional new laws signed by Newsom include:
- A clarification that insurers can offer coverage for cannabis businesses
- A requirement that child welfare workers consider cannabis use by parents the same way they consider drinking and prescription drugs in how they resolve custody disputes.
- Protections for workers who smoke off the clock.
- A ban on doctors discriminating against patients for using MED
- Permission for delivery services to operate in cities which don’t allow cannabis retail and for temporary retail permits on premises which also have alcohol permits. Both of these have the potential to relieve the state’s dispensary shortage relative to other markets
PLUS: Veterinarians can now prescribe MED.
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