To allow California consumers to quickly check the license of a cannabis business, the state's Bureau of Cannabis Control (BCC) has proposed emergency regulations that would require retailers to display their Quick Response Code certificate outside their storefronts. Distributors and retail delivery drivers would also be required to carry the QR Code certificate while transporting cannabis.

The proposed regulations set forth a mandatory format, and specify that the QR Code must be scannable on a smartphone from a distance of three feet.

According to the BCC's Finding of Emergency, the regulations come in response to continued reports of injuries attributed to vaping products. According to studies cited in the finding, nearly all individuals with injuries who used vaping products containing THC had purchased those products from unlicensed sources. The BCC concluded that the risk of harm is greater from THC vaping products purchased from unlicensed sources.

The proposed regulations are intended to educate consumers and enable them to ensure that they are purchasing from a licensed retailer. The BCC noted that illegal retailer businesses are often mistaken for legal businesses due to having a similar appearance or name. The BCC also noted that requiring the certificate to be carried by delivery drivers and distributors will enable employees, law enforcement and others to confirm that a business is licensed.

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