Deadline looms for Guam’s recreational cannabis rules

Guam’s Cannabis Control Board is preparing a public hearings schedule to discuss draft regulations to govern the territory’s adult-use marijuana industry.

The board has met weekly since early last year to come up with the proposed rules and regulations, which are required by law to be finalized in April 2020.

The board has not yet released the draft regulations to the public.

At its last meeting, the board was to discuss the hearing schedule.

Recent board meetings also took up:

In a January meeting, Cannabis Control Board Chair Vanessa Williams said the panel expects to “absolutely” meet the April deadline.

“In terms of the cultivation regs and how these establishments are going to be governed, we’re still working on that draft,” she said.

“That’s actually the final piece of our proposed language.”

The board is also required to come up with labeling and packaging requirements, restrictions on advertising and the implementation of a seed-to-sale tracking system.

According to the minutes of recent meetings, next steps include:

  • The board adopting the rules.
  • Cost and economic impact statements.
  • Starting the administrative adjudication process.
  • Conducting a public hearing process.
  • A review by the Department of Administration.
  • A review by the governor.
  • Transmission to the Legislature.

In March 2019, Guam’s Senate approved the legal foundation for an adult-use cannabis industry on the Western Pacific island.

The Cannabis Control Board was created as part of that law.

Matt Lamers is Marijuana Business Daily’s international editor, based near Toronto. He can be reached at mattl@mjbizdaily.com.