Cannabis: marketing: appellations of origin: county, city, or city and county of origin.

(1) Existing law, the Control, Regulate and Tax Adult Use of Marijuana Act (AUMA) , approved by the voters at the November 8, 2016, statewide general election, regulates the cultivation, distribution, transport, storage, manufacturing, testing, processing, sale, and use of marijuana for nonmedical purposes by individuals 21 years of age and older. The Medicinal and Adult-Use Cannabis Regulation and Safety Act (MAUCRSA) , among other things, consolidates the licensure and regulation of commercial medicinal and adult-use cannabis activities. MAUCRSA requires the Department of Food and Agriculture, no later than January 1, 2018, to establish standards by which a licensed cultivator may designate a county of origin for cannabis, and requires for the designation that 100% of the cannabis be produced within the designated county, as specified. MAUCRSA requires the department, no later than January 1, 2021, to establish a process by which licensed cultivators may establish appellations of origin for cannabis produced in certain geographical areas of California, instead of by county. MAUCRSA prohibits cannabis from being represented to consumers, as specified, as produced in a California county unless the cannabis was produced in that county. MAUCRSA prohibits the name of a California county, including any similar name that is likely to mislead consumers as to the kind of cannabis contained in the product, from being used, as specified, unless 100% of the cannabis contained in the product was produced in that county. This bill would limit the approval of appellations of origin for cannabis unless it requires the practice of planting in the ground in the canopy area and excludes the practices of using structures and any artificial light in the canopy area. The bill would also require the department to establish standards by which a licensed cultivator may designate a city or city and county of origin for cannabis produced 100% within the designated city or city and county. The bill would apply the same above-described prohibitions against misrepresentations related to the county of origin and the misleading use of county names to city or city and county origins and names. (2) AUMA authorizes the Legislature to amend its provisions by a 23 vote of both houses, without submission to the voters, to further the purposes and intent of AUMA. This bill would declare that its provisions further the purposes and intent of AUMA. (3) This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.