Only 6 weeks after Rhode Island come a new state contact announcement..
We all know the pros & cons of Metrc.
What worries us is that they are becoming by default a monopoly and a monopoly is never a good thing.
Metrc Announces New Track-And-Trace Government Contract with the State of Alabama
LAKELAND, Fla., Aug. 16, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Metrc, the most trusted and experienced provider of cannabis regulatory systems in the U.S., announced a new contract with the State of Alabama to support the regulation of its medical cannabis market. This marks Metrc’s 23rd government contract to date and sixth so far in 2022.
Metrc’s robust track-and-trace platform will help facilitate the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission’s data collection and regulatory oversight, enabling licensed operators to easily track all activities impacting the status of a plant or the creation of cannabis-based products, including origin, testing results, handling, and chain-of-custody information, through the Company’s unique RFID tag model and software-as-a-service (SaaS) system. Seamless data tracking helps operators optimize inventory control, accurately report sales data, and improve cultivation management. This information is accessible to state regulators, providing the ultimate transparency to ensure regulatory compliance, help combat the illicit market, and safeguard the health and well-being of Alabama medical cannabis patients.
“As Alabama works to solidify its medical cannabis program, we are thrilled to have the opportunity to spearhead the state’s first-ever track-and-trace program,” said Michael Johnson, CEO at Metrc. “Our team at Metrc looks forward to working alongside the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission to build a strong regulatory framework that will create a marketplace with the strongest foundation, where patients are guaranteed safe consumption and licensees are provided an environment to thrive.”
Alabama became one of 37 states to legalize medical cannabis after the state legislature approved the measure and its governor signed it into law in 2021. The bill also created the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission to regulate medical cannabis from the cultivation of the plants, to processing and testing the products, to final sales to patients in dispensaries. The State plans to begin accepting licensing applications for businesses on September 1, 2022.
“We are confident that Metrc is the best partner to help Alabama institute a trustworthy statewide seed-to-sale tracking system for our medical cannabis market,” said AMCC Director John McMillan. “We are eager to work side-by-side with the Metrc team to establish a well-regulated supply chain to ensure the long-term safety and security of patients and providers.”
Metrc now holds exclusive government contracts in every region of the U.S, including Washington, D.C., and has a particularly strong presence in the South, where it holds contracts with Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Oklahoma, West Virginia, and now Alabama. While these areas have diverse regulatory frameworks, each jurisdiction shares the common goal of ensuring safe legal cannabis markets. Metrc continues to be the favored partner of regulators and businesses in serving their unique needs and goals.
