California’s BCC Issued 1,000+ Cease-and-Desist Letters

There is a report that says California’s Bureau of Cannabis Control has issued more than 1,000 cease-and-desist letters to unlicensed cannabis operators since the law went into effect on January 1, 2018 according to KCET. 

The accessibility in finding these “illegal businesses” has been about as easy as browsing the internet for a new place to eat for this weekend. Shall we try the new Taco spot? Of course, Weedmaps is a platform where these canna-businesses can advertise their products and services. There are others out there as well, but Weedmaps have already been dealing with their own cease-and-desist problems by regulators since they were advertising for all of these unlicensed operations.

Kindly, the Bureau of Cannabis Control has information on how to receive temporary licenses, which will be good for 120 days and can be extended up to another 90 days if need be. Did I mention it is free? Though it isn’t perfect, it is still something.

California’s licensing fees can cost you anywhere around $4,000-$72,000. This all has to do with the size of the business. This is worth it compared to the fines they are stating that can be given out if caught as an illegal operation.

One of the responses Weedmaps gave were that many of the 1,000 issued recipients are protected under the state law since they are Cooperatives. The old medical cannabis law allows non-profits to operate until the new law is in effect. 

So from the wise words of an old Chinese proverb, and our late Michael Jackson, “It is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness.” Light up, and get yourself a temporary license if you have not already.

-C.