Over the summer, California made its biggest change to how cannabis is regulated since voters approved legalization half a decade ago, with Gov. Gavin Newsom merging three agencies that had been overseeing segments of the industry into one new Department of Cannabis.
A month later, new strategies and challenges for the industry are taking shape.
It’s taking longer for cannabis businesses to get licensed since the consolidation took place, according to multiple people who work in or advocate for the cannabis industry.
