NEWS & RESOURCES

Suspense Day brought disappointing results for California’s regulated cannabis industry and exposed the resistance standing in the way of meaningful enforcement reform.

Today, Governor Gavin Newsom announced that the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration (CDTFA) has seized more than $168 million in illicit cannabis and tobacco products since 2019, including nearly $22 million during the first half of 2026 alone. This is welcome news for California’s licensed cannabis operators, and it represents meaningful progress on an enforcement priority the California Cannabis Operators Association (CaCOA) has worked diligently to eleva

For California's licensed cannabis industry, the coming weeks will determine the fate of numerous proposals affecting enforcement priorities, youth advertising restrictions, hemp enforcement, testing standards, cannabis beverages, vape products, tribal commerce, and the illicit marketplace.

The California Cannabis Operators Association (CaCOA) recently submitted a coalition letter supporting Assembly Bill 2537 (Chen), signaling a shift in how California can compete with the illicit market. (California cannabis enforcement)

The California Cannabis Operators Association’s (CaCOA) Policy Committee met on July 15, 2026, to work through legislative and regulatory issues facing licensed operators. Three items dominated the discussion: 1) the Department of Cannabis Control's (DCC) proposed Track and Trace regulations, 2) its proposed Group Tagging regulations, and 3) pending amendments to AB 2249 (Irwin) on cannabis packaging and labeling.

On June 8, 2026, Amy O'Gorman Jenkins (Executive Director of the California Cannabis Operators Association) testified before the Senate Business, Professions & Economic Development Committee in support of Assembly Bill 2697 (Pellerin), legislation that authorizes drive-through cannabis sales where local jurisdictions approve. AB 2697 Cannabis Drive-Throughs

On June 8, 2026, Amy O'Gorman Jenkins (Executive Director of the California Cannabis Operators Association) testified before the Senate in support of Assembly Bill 2249 (Irwin), legislation that would regulate cannabis packaging and marketing to children. AB 2249

Learn the latest on California's cannabis policy and legislation, post-House of Origin deadline.

The California Assembly and Senate Appropriations Committees recently advanced a slate of cannabis bills addressing enforcement reform, product testing, packaging standards, and growing concerns over nitrous oxide sales to minors. (California Cannabis Legislation)

On April 14, 2026, Assembly Bill 2537, the Cannabis Enforcement Accountability and Public Health Prioritization Act of 2026, passed the Assembly Business and Professions Committee with unanimous support on a 19–0 vote. (California AB 2537)

California Cannabis Operator Association's (CaCOA) Executive Director Amy O'Gorman Jenkins breaks down California's 2026 cannabis legislative session: 21 bills, enforcement reform, the packaging debate, tribal cannabis, and why the policy conversation has finally matured.

The California cannabis industry has secured a significant legislative victory. Following coordinated advocacy led by the California Cannabis Operators Association (CaCOA), Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin has agreed to amend Assembly Bill 762 to remove all-in-one (AIO) cannabis vaping devices from the bill's scope.

If you operate a cannabis business in California, you have standing in this conversation. You have data about what AB 762 means for your business, your employees, and your customers.

This Tuesday, January 13th, the Assembly Business and Professions Committee will consider Assembly Bill 762 (Irwin), legislation that would prohibit the sale of all-in-one (AIO) cannabis vapes in California. The California Cannabis Operators Association (CaCOA) strongly opposes this bill and has submitted a letter explaining why it is fundamentally flawed.

When Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 564 (Haney) into law this fall, California made a critical decision to protect the public health and safety of cannabis consumers and the community programs that rely on cannabis excise taxes for funding. The bill, which repealed an automatic tax increase and locked the excise tax at 15% until at least 2028, was sound and necessary. And the early data now proves it.

If you missed our recent webinar, here's what you need to know about the latest California cannabis advocacy wins and where we're heading next.

Ultimately, AB 8 ensures that California’s cannabis and hemp policies advance together, grounded in science, fairness, and, most importantly, public safety.

Now comes the more complex work of building the legal cannabis market California deserves: one that expands access to safe, regulated products, unleashes innovation to create jobs, and generates sustainable tax revenue for the community programs that depend on it.

The legal cannabis market is in crisis, with declining sales, widespread business closures, and plummeting tax revenue. Assembly Bill 564 (Haney) restores the excise tax rate from 19% to 15%, a critical step to protect public health and stabilize the legal market. This bipartisan legislation has received widespread support in both chambers and from Governor Newsom.

California's legal cannabis industry achieved a crucial milestone this week as both AB 564 and AB 8 passed out of the Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee with unanimous support, a testament to the collective advocacy efforts of the California Cannabis Operators Association.