Alert: Welcome to the first edition of the DCC California Cannabis Chronicle newsletter

The Department of Cannabis Control (DCC) is excited to launch the first edition of the California Cannabis Chronicle newsletter, right in time for 4/20. This quarterly newsletter is designed with you in mind. We will provide you with relevant information, including:

The latest news and announcements about DCC
New and updated regulations
Relevant and helpful resources to help you stay in compliance
Profiles of California cannabis licensees and DCC staff members

We want to hear from you how we can grow and evolve this new resource. Reach out to us at [email protected] with your thoughts on additional content and story ideas.

QUICK HITS

ICYMI: Governor Newsom’s 2023-24 Proposed Budget
The proposal, which will need to be approved by the Legislature by June 15, 2023, includes funding to expand DCC’s law enforcement presence in central California, improve IT services, and deliver on cannabis tax reform.

DCC Director Nicole Elliott sits down for a discussion on cannabis policy
Listen to DCC Director Nicole Elliott’s in-depth conversation with Autumn Shelton on the podcast, “Inhale. Exhale. Elevate.” Their discussion includes Elliott’s path to the DCC, her goals for the cannabis industry, and all things cannabis.

Cassandra DiBenedetto: Here to help and listen
A message from your new liaison at the Department of Cannabis Control

For many of you, this is the first time you’ve heard that you have an engagement officer here at DCC. I wanted to take this opportunity to introduce myself and to tell you a little bit about what I do and how I might be able to serve you.

I started working at DCC in late summer of last year and took on the task of creating a link between cannabis licensees and the Department. Though my position is relatively new, I have quite a bit of experience in public outreach, advocacy, and stakeholder engagement. I believe my passion for the subject matter and my respect for all allow me to genuinely listen, and build the necessary connections to make improvements where possible.

In my role at DCC, I am dedicated to creating common ground between the Department and all parties working in the legal cannabis market. From legislators to industry executives to community organizations and licensees, I want to build lasting and meaningful partnerships in this ever-evolving world of California cannabis.

I welcome opportunities to collaborate and connect with industry partners and you can reach our team [email protected] or me at cassandra.dibenedetto@cannabis.ca.gov

Licensee Resources

Find Your Compliance Resources in One Place
Licensees work hard every day to stay compliant.. Last year, we launched the CannaConnect Compliance Hub on the DCC website. This year, we’ll be making critical updates to the webpage.

CannaConnect is your convenient resource hub, where you can get the tools, resources, and support you need to stay compliant and thrive. Whether you’re new to the industry and in need of application assistance, or thinking of setting up your own cannabis event, CannaConnect is the place to start.

Bookmark the CannaConnect resource hub for easy access. DCC staff update these resources regularly to keep you informed on the latest regulations, and offer support through guidance documents, FAQs, video, and more.

Looking for a list of the state agencies that you’ll need to work with on your license application or renewal?
How about g uidance on the new electricity reporting requirements? .
Or an FAQ on hosting a temporary cannabis event? That’s on there, too.

The DCC team is committed to providing the resources and materials you need to stay in compliance from seed to sale. But we want to hear from you: help us prioritize the tools we work on first by reaching out to us with suggestions, comments, and recommendations. Tell us in which areas you need support by emailing us at [email protected].

Disaster Relief Available for Licensees Affected by Natural Disasters
California continues to experience extreme weather, including floods and damaging storms. Cannabis licensees who are unable to comply with DCC licensing requirements due to the impacts of natural disasters, such as fire, flood or earthquake, may apply for disaster relief. You can find more information under the Resources section of our website.

Licensees seeking disaster relief are encouraged to submit a Request for Disaster Relief (Form DCC-8101) to DisasterRelief@cannabis.ca.gov.

Licensees should be prepared to identify the specific DCC regulations from which they are requesting relief from and explain what regulatory relief is needed. DCC may also require that licensees obey certain conditions to receive temporary disaster relief. DCC has no authority to offer relief from requirements that are administered by other agencies or imposed by statute.

Regulation Updates

NEW CCTT DELIVERY REGULATIONS NOW IN EFFECT

DCC has adopted emergency regulations in response to Assembly Bill 195. These regulations, which went into effect on April 1, 2023, contain requirements for tracking deliveries. These regulations also require that this information be entered into the California Cannabis Track and Trace system (CCTT).

Having technical issues? More information can be found on this Metrc bulletin. Questions can also be sent to Metrc Support at [email protected].

The following resources, including Frequently asked Questions, are available on our website. Links below!

If you need assistance from DCC or have any questions, please email [email protected].

ATTENTION CULTIVATORS

ATTENTION LICENSEES

New Cultivation License Regulations in Effect
On January 1, 2023, state laws related to cultivation licenses changed. As a result of these new regulations, DCC is now accepting:

Applications for Large Cultivation licenses.
Requests to convert other cultivation licenses into a Large or Medium cultivation license.

You may have received an email from DCC relating to these and other new cultivation license regulations.

You can find resources relating to these updates on our website or click on the links below to go directly to each resource.

For assistance with conversion requests, email [email protected].gov.
For questions about inventory reconciliation procedures, email trackandtrace@cannabis.ca.gov.

New Electricity Reporting Resources AvailableBeginning this year, certain cultivation and microbusiness licensees have new electricity-reporting requirements if they are engaged in any of the following:

Indoor cultivation;
Tier 2 mixed-light cultivation; OR
Nursery using indoor OR tier 2 mixed-light techniques

If these requirements apply to you, you must:

Report total electricity for each power source used to DCC; AND
Comply with renewable energy requirements, including any required purchase of carbon offsets.

Here are some tools to help you gather and report energy information. The reporting worksheets are optional templates provided by the Department.

Visit the CannaConnect Compliance Hub for more information on these requirements. If you have any questions about how to comply with the renewable energy requirements or suggestions on what resources might be helpful for you, please reach out to the DCC’s licensing team at [email protected]. 

ATTENTION: ELIGIBLE EQUITY LICENSEES

New Equity Rules Offer License Fee Relief for Eligible Applicants
The Department of Cannabis Control (DCC)adopted rules this January regarding cannabis license fee waivers and deferrals for equity applicants and licensees. Equity businesses may be eligible for license fee relief if they meet certain criteria.

Equity Fee Relief options include:
For each calendar year, qualified and approved equity applicants/licensees may receive:

Fee Waiver – Allows qualified and approved equity applicants to have either an initial or renewal license fee waived. If a business has multiple licenses, it can only obtain a fee waiver for one license per calendar year.
Fee Deferrals – Allows qualified and approved equity applicants/licensees to defer payment of their initial or renewal license fees for six months. Businesses with more than one license can request a deferral one time on each license within the same calendar year. All deferrals must be paid in full no later than six months after the issuance of a license or renewal of a license.

Resources & Eligibility Information:

For assistance with your equity fee relief request, email equity@cannabis.ca.gov.
For more information about DCC’s equity relief effort, visit: https://cannabis.ca.gov/applicants/apply-for-equity-fee-relief/.

Promising Practices: DCC Launches a New Equity Resource
DCC is excited to introduce a new section of our Equity webpage called “Promising Practices,” filled with dynamic stories about local programs providing important tools to help California’s equity applicants navigate the licensing process and achieve success in their cannabis business.

DCC staff talked with equity business owners and applicants to capture the obstacles they faced on their path to becoming licensed and explain how the tools implemented through their local equity programs helped them succeed. The new webpage features best equity practices across the state and is intended to help local jurisdictions implement effective programs utilizing promising practices, such as equity grant, loan, and technical assistance. Check o ut these Promising Practices here.

Do you have a story about an equity program you want us to share? Drop us a line at [email protected] with the subject line “Promising Practices.”

DCC In the Community

DCC Staff Participate in Panel and Host Booth at 2022 Emerald Cup
DCC staff participated in the 2022 Emerald Cup, one of the oldest cannabis events in California. Members of the compliance, education and outreach, and customer service team traveled to the Sonoma County Fairgrounds in Santa Rosa to hear directly from cannabis operators and answer questions about regulations.

This year, DCC worked closely with the organizers to support licensee compliance, hosting a presentation before the event to answer questions and created an FAQ for temporary cannabis events that licensees can now find on our website. The audience also got to hear directly from Deputy Director of Equity & Inclusion Eugene Hillsman and Chief Engagement Officer Cassandra DiBenedetto, during a moderated panel discussion.

“The Emerald Cup was a fantastic opportunity to engage with licensees, consumers, and other members of the cannabis community,” said Cassandra DiBenedetto. “We learned from the feedback we received, and the Department gained tremendous insight into industry resource needs.”

(From left) DCC Outreach & Education Manager Nina Lemke, Special Projects Coordinator Alex Skondras, Chief Engagement Officer Cassandra DiBenedetto, Deputy Director of Public Affairs Maria Luisa Cesar, and Customer Service Manager Arnold Hy, staffing the DCC booth at Emerald Cup 2022.

Let’s Connect

The Department wants to connect with you at your events. We are happy to participate on panel discussions, give keynote addresses, and provide presentations on the Department’s role in the cannabis industry.

Our education and outreach team members are happy to set up an informational booth to help celebrate the legal cannabis marketplace, provide information to licensees on compliance and upcoming deadlines, and help educate consumers on the regulated market.

Please reach out to the department at [email protected] to ask us to participate in any upcoming events.

Cannabis Conversations

Nonprofit newsroom CalMatters is hosting a free – in-person and virtual – panel discussion about how news media covers cannabis.

When: April 20, 2023 from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.
Where: Cal Poly Humboldt, Student Activities Center, SAC 131, 1 Harpst St, Arcata, CA, 95521

A panel of journalists, media professors and cannabis studies experts, moderated by CalMatters CEO Neil Chase, explores and critiques media coverage of cannabis-related stories. Telling the stories of regulated and unregulated cannabis provides an entry point for a larger discussion of the role of journalism in a democratic society. A networking session with a complementary light lunch will take place from 11:30am – 12:30pm for attendees and panelists.
Register here.

Do you have a great idea for a cannabis-related story? Reach out to us at [email protected] and let us know how we can make this resource more relevant and helpful for you and all our licensees.