It’s a blowout weekend for cannabis products in Sacramento and across California.
Six months after marijuana was legalized, new safety and regulation laws take effect Sunday, and some Sacramento dispensaries are rushing to clear inventory that will no longer be salable come Sunday, July 1.
The deadline marks the end of a six-month transition window before new labeling, packaging and product testing requirements take hold.
Starting Sunday, products must pass additional checks for pesticides, chemicals and foreign material, according to the state Bureau of Cannabis Control. Dispensaries are required to destroy any marijuana goods out of compliance starting Sunday.
Employees at A Therapeutic Alternative in Sacramento said that 60 percent of their inventory is on clearance until the end of the month and will be pulled from shelves July 1, due to the changes in product regulations and licensing of their suppliers.
Staff had a positive spin on the retail crunch and urged potential buyers to make the most of the window, saying that products are discounted down to prices that they don’t plan to offer in the future.
Following strict advertising and communications laws, A Therapeutic Alternative could only publicize their menu featuring sale products and prices inside the dispensary, on their website and on sites for visitors 21 and older.
In July, A Therapeutic Alternative executive director Kimberly Cargile said that the dispensary’s selection will thin out as noncompliant products get taken off the shelf, but Cargile expects many of her suppliers to be back in business once they’ve caught up with testing and packaging requirements.
On Saturday, A Therapeutic Alternative will give away any remaining clearance products to anyone with a state-issued medical marijuana ID card.
On Sunday, all remaining noncompliant inventory will be turned over to cannabis waste hauling services. The unsellable marijuana products will be quarantined for 72 hours, mixed with shredded paper and water and sent to a landfill. Despite losing inventory, Cargile said she is a strong proponent of the regulations.
“These regulations are very necessary for consumer protections, environmental protection and public safety protections, so they are good and we support them,” said Cargile. “However it’s more difficult to operate within a regulated market and more difficult than we anticipated.”
Credit: www.sacbee.com