Thanks to The Voice for this:
Michigan is among 19 states whose marijuana regulatory agencies have collectively created a new cannabis-related organization.
The Cannabis Regulators Association — CANNRA — is billed as a newly-formed, non-partisan group established to share institutional knowledge and regulatory best practices with federal, state and local jurisdictions who’ve approved legalization of marijuana or are considering it.
“The Cannabis Regulators Association will provide a much needed forum for regulators to engage with each other to identify and develop best practices, create model policies that safeguard public health and safety, and promote regulatory certainty for industry participants,” Norman Birenbaum, CANNRA’s inaugural president, stated in a news release.
The organization is said to be the first of its kind in the United States established to facilitate interaction among jurisdictions, established cannabis markets and programs, and other stakeholders.
Its plan is to offer regulatory experiences and institutional expertise, along with assisting regulators on navigating evolving policy and regulatory issues associated with legalizing and regulating marijuana.
According to the news release, CANNRA “is not an advocacy group and takes no formal position for or against cannabis legalization, but rather seeks to provide government jurisdictions with unbiased information to help make informed decisions when considering whether or how to legalize or expand regulated cannabis.”
CANNRA aims to facilitate communication among research groups, public health officials, policy makers, advocacy groups, legal authorities and those in the cannabis industry.
“The association will strive to create and promote harmony and standardization across jurisdictions which choose to legalize and regulate cannabis,” Birenbaum stated.
Michigan’s Marijuana Regulatory Agency Executive Director Andrew Brisbo, who is among the group’s executive officers as third vice president, also weighed in.
“The Marijuana Regulatory Agency has always strived to keep Michigan aligned with the best practices and at the forefront of innovative policy in this new industry,” he stated. “Being a founding member of the association and serving as an executive officer is an exciting opportunity as we strive to establish Michigan as the national model for a regulatory program that stimulates business growth while preserving safe consumer access to marijuana.”
Along with Michigan, CANNRA’s other founding members include principal cannabis regulators from:
Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, Utah and Washington.
“The Cannabis Regulators Association will also work to ensure federal officials benefit from the vast experiences of states across the nation to ensure any changes to federal law adequately address states’ needs and priorities,” Birenbaum added.
CANNRA anticipates that, in the near future, more state regulators will join the group and membership opportunities will be provided for county and municipal cannabis regulators. Membership is limited to regulators and representatives from relevant government offices.
Members will be given access to a national registry of member regulators, resources for cannabis policy development and staff training, and the ability to access and participate in the development of model standards and best practices for cannabis regulation.
They will also be eligible to attend exclusive “Regulator Roundtable” conferences and programs, and receive legislative analyses, policy tracking data, and bulletins on current issues and events in the cannabis industry and regulatory arena.
“Our intent in forming this organization is to have CANNRA serve as a resource for policy makers, elected officials, researchers, and other stakeholders to engage with regulators from across the country and receive unbiased information and recommendations regarding the impact and implementation of cannabis policies,” Birenbaum stated.
Homepage
