We’re not cruising yet. California Governor Gavin Newsom signed a bill approving interstate commerce for cannabis back in September, but officials are seeking legal opinions before moving forward with the plan.
Before allowing interstate commerce in the Golden State, California officials want to know that the move won’t put the state at significant risk of federal enforcement. The Department of Cannabis Control has requested guidance from the attorney general’s office to make sure they’re in the clear.
When Newsom signed SB 1326, the legislation stipulated that no agreement for interstate cannabis commerce can be made until federal law changes, federal guidance is put in place to allow commerce, or the state attorney general issues guidance saying the action will not put the state at sizable risk.
Officials from the Department of Cannabis Control sent a letter out last Friday, which included an eight-page analysis of why the state isn’t likely to face legal issues if interstate commerce commences.
Though California is not the first to pass an interstate cannabis commerce law, it is the first state to allow an official opinion from the state attorney general to move forward. Oregon passed an interstate commerce bill in 2019, and most recently, Washington State signed off on a plan. But both of these states require federal cannabis laws to change before they will implement any action.
Read the full letter below:
