As you may or may not have been aware, there was a transition period to grant cannabis businesses with a period of less stringent regulations so that they could sell cannabis that has already been in their inventory. The cost of any compliance is a steep one, and this was an attempt to soften the blow. The readopted regulations made some changes, especially regarding cannabis packaging. Have you been putting off the changes? We at SunGrown Packaging are here to help you out for your next round of inventory!
All packaging and labeling of cannabis goods must be properly performed before being transported to a retailer – meaning all new products will come to retailers already packaged and labeled by cultivators, processors, manufacturers, or distributors. This also applies to cannabis goods that were in a retailer’s inventory before July 1st. A few exceptions are that a retailer will be able to affix “FOR MEDICAL USE ONLY” for medicinal sales as well as having exit packaging for new products. Specifically, per section 5413 of the Bureau of Cannabis Control Emergency MAUCRSA rules, “[c]annabis goods purchased by a customer shall not leave the retailer’s premises unless the goods are placed in an opaque exit package.”
For the required packaging of all manufactured New Products, manufacturers must have packaging that is:
- capable of protecting the product from contamination and that shall not expose the product to any toxic or harmful substance;
- tamper-evident, which means that the product shall be packaged in packaging that is sealed so that the contents cannot be opened without obvious destruction of the seal;
- child-resistant, which means the package shall be designed or constructed to be significantly difficult for children under five years of age to open or otherwise obtain access to the product contained therein within a reasonable time, and shall not be difficult for normal adults to open or obtain access to the product contained therein;
- not imitating any package used for products typically marketed to children;
- if an edible New Product, opaque; and
- f the package contains more than one serving of cannabis product, re-sealable so that child-resistance is maintained throughout the life of the package.
Cannabis goods in a retailer’s possession that do not meet packaging and labeling requirements will have to be destroyed starting July 1st. All cannabis goods must be in child-resistant packaging, only having an exit or secondary packaging be child-resistant shall no longer suffice.