For businesses operating in the retail cannabis industry, maintaining compliance is of the utmost importance. Failing to comply with federal, state, and local regulations not only damages a company’s reputation, it threatens the company’s license to operate. Unfortunately, despite the importance of compliance, dispensaries often overlook security protocols that could be viewed as compliance issues. This oversight is especially true in situations involving access to products and chain-of-custody management.
Why compliance is so important
When it comes to the production, processing and sale of cannabis products, the state (or national government in Canada), expects companies to stick to certain safety standards. These standards ultimately lead to the need for stringent security practices that not only protect the business and customers, but ensure compliance as well.
It is important to note that security requirements within cannabis compliance go beyond alarm systems and video surveillance. Between state laws and local ordinances, there are dozens of security specifications that apply to dispensaries.
For example, inventory must be properly managed, secured and surveilled throughout all stages of transportation, storage and display. Any discrepancies in inventory can result in large fines or other penalties.
The easiest way to implement inventory control measures is with digital tools such as intelligent access control systems, RFID tags, and dashboards that keep automatic logs of your product supply chain.
Improve compliance-readiness with intelligent security infrastructure
By improving security infrastructure, businesses can greatly improve their compliance-readiness. In many cases, security begins and ends at the door. Extending your security to the cabinet-level with Senseon intelligent access control systems can vastly improve the security infrastructure of cannabis retailers. Companies that use state-of-the-art technologies like Senseon systems, in addition to hiring guards to enhance the protection of their facility, products, and people, are taking thoughtful, proactive measures to become compliance-ready.
Senseon systems offer customizable automatic relocking, dual authorization, discrete access, as well as alarm and alerts functions to enhance dispensary security.
The deadbolt lock, along with its matching metal key, was the standard of access control for many years. But cannabis businesses need more. Not only do they need to control who has access to what, they also need a way to monitor and manage access. That is why intelligent access control systems that provide quick, convenient access to authorized persons while denying access to unauthorized ones, are the new gold standard.
Intelligent systems give you more control
Cabinet-level access control systems like Senseon One offer discreet access, which means administrators can control employee access down to each individual drawer. For instance, certain employees can be given access to cannabis storage cabinets, while others can only access display units. With intelligent access control systems, administrators can custom select those roles. As opposed to the traditional lock and key, these systems are quick and efficient.
Even more convenient, when an employee who has access leaves the company, all an administrator has to do is remove their access. There is no need for keys to be returned, and the business can rest assured that copies of physical keys were never made. Intelligent access control systems only grant access to those who have proper authorization.
Cabinet-level security improves chain-of-custody management
In most states, cannabis inventory is viewed as chain-of-custody, and it must be strictly controlled. For this reason, when businesses lack proper cabinet-level security and surveillance, they are failing to comply with important regulations. With Senseon Plus audit trail software, it is possible for dispensary owners and managers to know who accessed which cabinets at what times. So if there are discrepancies in product inventory numbers, it becomes easier to trace chain-of-custody for potentially missing inventory.
Senseon Plus’s cloud-based audit trail software ensures compliance in regulated environments.
A secure, compliant facility is the absolute backbone of any cannabis business, and it should never be taken for granted. If you want to make certain that your dispensary is mitigating as much risk as possible, while also complying with local, state and federal standards, it is advisable that you make security a key part of operations. To learn more about how Senseon cabinet-level access control systems can improve your security infrastructure and help you maintain compliance, visit our Cannabis Security page or contact us.
