What Cannabis Businesses need to know about Metrc implementation
After a partial resolution was reached in the state’s cannabis inventory tracking lawsuit, Oklahoma medical marijuana businesses will now have until May 26 to comply with the Metrc seed-to-sale tracking system.
The restraining order, which delayed the inevitable implementation of the state’s seed-to-sale program, was lifted on February 25th. All licensed Oklahoma cannabis businesses are now required to implement Metrc by May 26th, 2022—or 77 days from the time of this writing.
The agreed order gives dispensaries an added grace period - setting the deadline for Wednesday, Aug. 24th to sell or legally dispose of untagged medical marijuana products in their inventory.
In addition to the specified implementation dates, the order states that OMMA must conduct at least five online seminars by May 26th to educate licensees on the new seed-to-sale system and will ensure adequate Call Center staff is on hand to respond to questions about the program.
“Lifting this injunction clears the single biggest roadblock to OMMA enforcing the law.”
-OMMA Executive Director Adria Berry.
In a recent video update, OMMA Director Adria Berry stated, if a business in OMMA’s system is not Metrc compliant on May 27th the agency “will take action.” The long held resistance to regulatory requirements for Metrc integration must be overcome or your business will most certainly face disciplinary action and possible legal consequences.
OMMA will be releasing additional details about implementation soon. In the meantime, all licensed businesses that have not already, should sign up for a Metrc training session and get credentialed to use the platform. The training is free and takes roughly two hours in duration. We recommend these be scheduled at your earliest convenience and taken by everyone who may potentially manage Metrc reporting so that they understand the system and functionality.
Once licensees have accounts in Metrc, they will have access to the Beginning Inventory Guide, which outlines the steps to enter initial plant and/or package inventory into the system.
At Gies Law Firm, we have developed dedicated services tailored to Metrc implementation and ongoing compliance that can be tailored to your business’ specific needs to keep you in a constant state of compliance. Services will include but not be limited to:
Setup and integration
Data input and monthly reporting
On-site compliance reviews and pre-inspection visits
Metrc and compliance training
Plant tagging and order management
As the needs of our clients evolve relating to Metrc, our firm is prepared to evolve our services to address those needs. With the ever-changing landscape of cannabis law in Oklahoma and the coming uptick in regulatory enforcement, there is no better time to have a team in your corner that is looking out for you at every turn.
If you have questions about Metrc implementation or how the team at Gies Law Firm can help the team where you are, contact us today or book a consultation at your convenience. Regardless what regulations may come and what setbacks they may create, we are here to keep you moving forward—to keep your business growing.
We will be rigorously tracking all aspects of Metrc compliance from this moment forward and will continue to provide updates as they become available.
