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Volume 3 | Winter 2024 - 2025
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The information contained in this newsletter is intended for Maryland Cannabis Business Agents aged 21+. This newsletter is provided by the Maryland Cannabis Administration for the purposes of general updates and as a supplemental educational resource. It is not intended to replace or constitute legal or business advice, consultation or service. You should consult an attorney for advice. For compliance concerns, contact your investigator or mca.compliance@maryland.gov. |
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Please read on to find useful information in the third volume of our BCS Newsletter, developed to share helpful, time-sensitive information with our licensed cannabis industry in Maryland.
This edition includes additional information on a notice recently provided to dispensaries about limitations on customer profiles. MCA is in the process of developing and printing signage that we will distribute to dispensaries in order to educate consumers. This edition also provides information on a new pilot study related to oral cannabis tinctures and updates on regulations moving through the state approval process.
MCA is continually improving our Medical and Adult-Use Cannabis Data Dashboard to provide updated information monthly on the licensed industry and cannabis purchases in Maryland. Also, after the success of our first Workforce Development training in November, we have opened additional spots for our remaining FREE trainings across the state, please encourage folks to enroll if interested!
Finally, we wish everyone a happy, healthy, and safe holiday season. With lots of celebrations this time of year, please encourage consumers to plan a safe and sober ride if out and about and keep cannabis secured and up, away, and out of sight from visiting children and pets who may be in the home…Be informed. Be responsible. BeCannabisSmart.
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Customer Profiles
As provided in a recent MCA notice, a dispensary is prohibited from using a customer's personal information to create or maintain a customer profile without that individual’s express permission [COMAR 14.17.12.04B(10)(a)(b)]. This applies to data collected at the point of sale, as well as any data saved or transmitted by the dispensary’s identification card scanning system. The dispensary cannot deny a sale because the customer does not consent to the storage and use of their personal information. Pictured above is new consumer-facing signage that MCA will be distributing directly to dispensaries in the near future. The sign will be an 8.5 inch x 5.5 inch sticker and will be required for dispensaries to display at the ID check window or kiosk.
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Attention Labs and Processors! MCA will begin a study of the change in the action limit for ethanol in tinctures for oral administration. During this pilot study, the action limit will increase from 5,000 ppm to the interim action limit of 100,000 ppm. If a sample exceeds the current 5,000 ppm limit, please note in Metrc *pilot study*. The increase in the action limit is based on 21 CFR 328.10 which allows for 10% ethanol in orally administered over the counter drugs for patients 12 or older. Please contact mca.labs@maryland.gov with any questions. |
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MCA has submitted two regulatory proposals for publication in the Maryland Register. They address a variety of topics including employee stock options, grower and processor co-location, receivership, cannabis displays, novel product requests, and medical product availability. All MCA laws and regulations can be found on our website. To receive email updates when MCA publishes draft regulations on its website, please sign up here. |
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As new conditional licensees move through the process towards becoming operational, MCA has added information to the data dashboard on conditional licensees’ proposed locations as they become available. The dashboard is updated monthly. |
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Be Prepared!
- All registered agents employed at any licensed dispensary location must complete an MCA-approved Responsible Vendor Training (RVT) by January 1, 2025. MCA recently issued a notice granting an additional six months for registered grower and processor agents to complete an RVT course that best aligns with their assigned duties. The January 1st deadline applies to any person badged as a dispensary agent, even if the person does not work day-to-day in a dispensary. Agents affiliated with multiple locations only need to complete one training annually.
- A badged agent may work for multiple licensees at one time, provided each licensee submits a new application for that agent through their OneStop portal. However, Alcoholic Beverages and Cannabis, 36-408, Annotated Code of Maryland prohibits a laboratory agent or employee from being employed by a cannabis licensee.
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Applications have re-opened for the MCA Workforce Development Program, which provides a cumulative 100 hours of FREE virtual and in-person training for retail, processing and cultivation careers across Maryland's fast growing cannabis industry. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis. Learn more here, and apply here! Those who currently work in the cannabis industry, as well as those who have no prior experience, are welcome to apply for this hands-on opportunity to learn more about the industry. Currently there is still availability for the two day in-person training on:
• January 11-12, 2025, UMD at Southern Maryland
• February 8-9, 2025, Howard Community College
• March 8-9, 2025, Chesapeake College
• April 5-6, 2025, Frederick Community College
Be Aware!
- Growers and processors should be sure to update the product expiration date in Metrc to match the expiration date on the product package. Please refer to Metrc bulletin MD_IB_0083 for information on how to update expiration dates.
- Dispensaries should review SOPs to ensure expired products are not offered for sale. Greenwaste protocols should be followed for expired products.
- Product or business complaint? Use the Incident Report Form to notify MCA about adverse reactions/events or concerns about a cannabis business or product, including unlicensed retailers, incidents at a cannabis business, product packaging, and safety concerns.
Have a suggestion or topic for the newsletter?
Send it to publichealth.mca@maryland.gov
Archived Newsletters
Summer 2024
Fall 2024
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This distribution list has been developed from email addresses provided with cannabis agent registration. If you are aware of colleagues who are not receiving this newsletter, please ensure they have provided a valid email address in their OneStop account.
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