Industry group suggests standards for marijuana packaging, labeling

Don’t miss our MJBiz LinkedIn Live covering “Women Leaders in Cannabis: Shattering the Grass Ceiling” on Wednesday, March 27, at 2 p.m. ET. Visit LinkedIn to register!


The National Association of Cannabis Businesses, a self-regulatory organization, is proposing marijuana industry standards for packaging and labeling.

The announcement comes in the wake of U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ decision earlier this month to tear up key protections for the recreational cannabis industry.

According to a news release, the standards are designed to “help NACB members protect consumers and demonstrate to regulators, financial institutions and the public that NACB members operate at the highest levels of ethics and responsibility.”

The proposed standards include:

  • Labeling that indicates the marijuana product’s origin, cultivator and processor.
  • Methods for listing all ingredients present in the product.
  • Warning statements about the health risks associated with cannabis consumption.
  • Inclusion of major food allergen warnings and information about marijuana edibles based on U.S. Food & Drug Administration specifications.
  • Addressing health and medical claims for cannabis products.
  • Child-resistant packaging.
  • Avoiding packaging and labeling that appeal to minors.

The standards are available for public review and comment on the NACB website until Feb. 21.

Compliance with NACB standards is required of the organization’s members.

NACB – a division of First American Holdings, a technology and business services company – is a for-profit company.

The organization is led by Andrew Kline, a former assistant U.S. Attorney and senior adviser to former Vice President Joseph Biden when he was a senator.