2021 was an unprecedented year for cannabis policy reform. Five states passed adult-use recreational cannabis laws, stimulating cannabis industry growth; now, nearly half of all states have some type of cannabis regulations now in place. If you haven’t been keeping up with cannabis industry news, it’s crucial to understand the future of cannabis in 2022 to scale your business appropriately. That’s why we’ve put together the ultimate guide of top cannabis regulation changes to know for the coming year.

What’s New for Cannabis Regulations in 2022

From expungement to medical patient access and limits, nearly every legal market experiences changes in their cannabis regulations. For cannabis business owners with multi-state operations or those seeking to expand, it’s important to keep up with the latest news and stay ahead of the trends. Let’s look at the most impactful regulatory changes cannabis business operators need to know, state by state and coast-to-coast.

Arkansas

With the passing of SB654, patients visiting from other states now have an extended period of time—of 90 days—to legally access medical cannabis in the state. Additionally, S703 allows patients seeking medical marijuana access to use telehealth; it has since been signed into a law. According to NORML, both laws go into effect on January 1, 2022.

Louisiana

Thanks to H391, medical cannabis patients in Louisiana will soon have access to cannabis flower. Once the law goes into effect in January 2022, state medical patients will be able to purchase up to two and a half ounces for a 14-day period.

Pennsylvania

Pertinent for dispensary owners, the passing of H1024 expanded 90-day period possession limits for state medical patients. It also provides allowances for patient curbside pickup and telemedicine patient certifications. Additionally, according to JDSpura, some employers in Philadelphia will soon be prohibited from testing job applicants for cannabis as a condition of employment; the city ordinance goes into effect January 2022.

Recreational Adult-Use Measures Passed in 2021

Of course, cannabis regulation changes aren’t exclusive to medical programs. In 2021, five states legalized adult-use bringing new markets to the future of cannabis. For operators in these states, or those looking to expand across state lines – here are the most important and newly established cannabis regulations to know for each.

Connecticut

With the enactment of S1201, adults over 21 can now legally possess up to one and a half ounces of cannabis flower, or the equivalent amount of concentrates in public, as well as up to five ounces of cannabis flower in their private residences.

New Jersey

A21 established licensing for the commercial production of cannabis and retail sales to adults over 21. Residents can legally possess up to one ounce of cannabis. All sales are subject to a state sales tax, in which 70 percent of revenue will be reinvested in designated, low-income communities, explains the Tax Foundation.

New Mexico

Marijuana Moment reports that adults 21 and older in New Mexico can now legally purchase up to two ounces of cannabis flower and/or up to 16 grams of extracts from licensed retailers as well as cultivate up to six mature plants at home for personal use.

New York

New York’s Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act (MRTA) legalized and set-up regulations for a commercial cannabis market in the state. Adults over 21 will soon be able to cultivate their own plants from home with restrictions as well as purchase and possess products sold by licensed retailers.

Virginia

In Virginia, recent legislation legalized the personal possession, and home cultivation of cannabis while setting up a regulatory framework for the establishment of licensed retail sales. While the personal use provisions went into effect July 2021, residents shouldn’t expect to see retail provisions go into effect until January 2024, unless expedited by lawmakers.

Other Notable Cannabis Reform News From 2021

California

Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Ryan’s law into effect in September 2021, which permits the use of medical cannabis products within hospitals and other eligible health care facilities, according to NORML.

Delaware

S60 expanded the group of medical professionals that can issue medical cannabis authorizations. The law, which took effect in June 2021, now allows physicians assistants and nurse practitioners to authorize medical use, according to NORML.

District of Columbia

The District of Columbia passed legislation that expands patient access to medical marijuana reports the DCist. The new emergency law provides a grace period for registered patients to purchase goods without renewing their authorization.

Georgia

S195 went into effect July 2021, which allows 30 retailers to become state-licensed for the sale of high CBD and low THC oils to medical cannabis patients, according to NORML.

Minnesota

Minnesota expanded the types of products medical cannabis patients could legally purchase to include cannabis flower, reports MPR News. The new cannabis regulations went into effect in May 2021; it allows for patients to purchase goods via curbside pickup from licensed retailers.

Montana

After the Treasure state voted in favor of adult-use recreational legalization in 2020, licensed retailers in Big Sky Country started selling cannabis legally in January 2021, according to NORML.

New Hampshire

Out-of-state medical marijuana patients can now legally purchase cannabis in New Hampshire, according to NORML.

Nevada

Nevada became the latest state to establish licensing for cannabis consumption lounges, which took effect in October 2021.

Oregon

As of September 2021, licensed dispensaries in Oregon can now deliver adult-use cannabis products to consumers, who are 21 and older, according to NORML.

Texas

A small step for a big state: H1535 in Texas raised the THC limits on regulated products from .5% to 1% in September 2021.

Utah

The passing of S170 provided allowances for state medical patients to purchase licensed products while their application is still under review.

Automating Regulatory Updates

Now that you’re all caught up on the latest cannabis industry news, you may be thinking, wouldn’t it be nice to have automated regulatory updates? With ProCanna, you can. Our product is a cloud-based, mobile-friendly software solution for top-tier cannabis companies designed to automate and streamline regulation changes. With our regulation blocks feature, not only are individual state regulations automatically updated, but you’ll get an easy-to-understand translation of complex language, too. That way, you don’t have to log attorney time and fees each time a new regulation comes your way. Explore our collection of features designed by industry leaders for industry leaders to streamline compliance for exponential growth and success. Request a demo today!