Barriers to compliance in cannabis agriculture - Dr. Hekia Bodwitch

Cannabis liberalization is spreading quickly and the transition of cannabis from illegal drug to agricultural product in California has coincided with regulations to manage its production. Yet, at this early stage, despite the potential benefits legalization might offer, many cannabis farmers are not complying with those regulations. Through an anonymous survey of cannabis farmers in California, we examined why cannabis farmers are or are not engaging in the state’s licensing initiative. Over 350 cannabis farmers completed the survey, approximately one third of whom reported being non-compliant. These non-compliant farmers were likely to be smaller cultivators who had experienced less formal outreach. Non-compliance was associated with an inability to overcome costs and administrative burdens associated with participating in legal markets. Such costs disproportionately affect farmers with less resources and are compounded by the devolution of permitting authorities to local officials, a process that has enabled local officials to further restrict and ban cultivation in certain regions.