The Department of Cannabis Control (DCC) was created in 2021 to consolidate the three state licensing agencies that previously regulated cannabis in California into one larger public agency handling all cannabis-related regulation within the state. The two bills (AB 141 and SB 160) that created this change in California’s regulatory structure were widely covered at the time, and resulted in changes to how licenses are processed. A less-discussed element of these bills, however, is how the California cannabis regulations relate to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).

CA Cannabis Regulation Background

Prior to 2021, California cannabis regulation duties were divided among three entities: 1) the Bureau of Cannabis Control regulated cannabis retail licensing and microbusinesses; 2) the Department of Food and Agriculture, Cal Cannabis Cultivation Licensing Division, regulated all cultivation-related matters; and 3) the Department of Public Health, Manufactured Cannabis Safety Branch, regulated manufacturing (including packaging and labeling).