FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

I'm already open and operating. What do you offer for existing businesses?

GLD provides a framework and compliance standards to turn an operator’s existing written materials into a comprehensive operations manual, allowing the business to run more smoothly with stress-free compliance inspections and reviews. Having a detailed operations manual also gives a business the option of expanding into new markets as they emerge from prohibition.

What types of establishments and topics do documents cover?

Documents to include policies, plans, and procedures for cannabis cultivators, manufacturers, processors, distributors, and dispensaries, as well as vertically integrated operators. All documents are designed to meet general state regulatory requirements and provide operators with a comprehensive procedural and operational framework. Available materials cover topics such as:

security and safety
quality assurance and control
inventory control
transportation and distribution
complaints, returns, adverse events and recalls
employee expectations
training and education
community and environmental impact
patient care
cultivation techniques and equipment
manufacturing techniques and equipment

Please contact us for a full list of documents and included topics.

Inventory Control

GLD documents are designed to meet regulatory requirements in states with existing cannabis laws, and can be customized to fit any state or local jurisdiction. They have been submitted to regulatory agencies by prospective and current cannabis business operators across North America.

Does staff speak another language? Are documents available in another language?

Yes, staff can provide Spanish consultations.

Do I need to customize the documents?

GLD documents are compliant with the legal requirements most common in the regulated cannabis industry; however, each state or local jurisdiction has slightly different requirements. Customization is highly recommended for any operator submitting a merit-based application.

Greenlight Drafts documents can be customized along three tiers.

In the first tier, GLD documents are changed to reflect the operator’s preferred practices and to reflect, or at least not conflict with, state and local regulations.

In the second tier, GLD documents are changed to reflect the operator’s preferred practices and content is added to demonstrate compliance with state and local regulations.

In the third tier, GLD documents are changed to reflect the operator’s preferred practices, content is added to demonstrate compliance with state and local regulations, and legal references and compliance checklists are included for the best chance of winning an application in a competitive market.

We suggests Tier 3 customization for licensing even in non-competitive jurisdictions in order to demonstrate ongoing compliance and use of best practices to regulators.

Do GLD Documents encompass different extraction and production methods (CO2, BHO, Rosin, etc.)?

Yes. GLD documents include plans for carbon dioxide, ethanol, and food-grade extraction, but can be customized to encompass any extraction and production method allowed in your jurisdiction.

How much does customization cost?

The cost of customization varies depending on the number of documents and the Customization Tier chosen. Contact us for more information about customizing GLD documents.

What about adult-use, CBD, and hemp?

GLD cultivation and manufacturing operations plans can be customized to fit operations seeking to produce, manufacture and dispense low-THC or CBD-only cannabis, as well as industrial hemp in both medical and adult-use cannabis markets.

What are operations plans, and why do I need them?

Operations plans are sets of documents that outline how a business is run on an ongoing basis. Most regulated cannabis businesses are required to present full operations plans to the state and local jurisdiction where they operate as part of an application and/or business licensing. GLD’s operations plans were built upon best practices used in the regulated cannabis industry, the agricultural and manufacturing standards most commonly recommended for cannabis operations, and medical cannabis laws from states with regulated markets. In our experience over the past few years, applicants with full operations plans have had a greater chance of success.

What are best practices, and why are they important?

Best practices are methods or techniques that have been generally accepted within an industry as superior, or that have become a standard way of doing things. As the cannabis industry emerges from an underground to a highly-regulated market, best practices are constantly evolving along with legal requirements and new technology. GLD operations plans are based on our extensive knowledge of cannabis compliance issues and industry best practices. The team has deep roots in the cannabis industry, including collaboration with experts from diverse backgrounds, and is always tracking the changing legal landscape and industry trends.

Are documents compliant with state and local laws?

GLD operations plans were written based on the most common state statutory requirements for regulated cannabis businesses. Customization of GLD documents to be compliant with your specific state and local jurisdiction(s) is recommended. Contact us for customization and pricing options.

What is your application success rate?

Pistil + Stigma was instrumental in the development and passage of Nevada’s current medical marijuana regulatory scheme. In 2014, Pistil + Stigma helped its NV clients obtain 21 total Medical Marijuana Establishment conditional licenses, including 9 dispensary permits. After the state of Nevada revised the number of dispensary permits allocated, 3 additional dispensary permits were allocated to Pistil + Stigma clients in 2015, bringing the total Medical Marijuana Establishment conditional licenses awarded to Pistil + Stigma clients to 24 and the dispensary license total to 12. Most recently, Pistil + Stigma secured one of only three medical marijuana licenses available in the city/county of Honolulu. The winning Pistil + Stigma Hawaii application was one of only eight selected statewide, out of a total 66 applications submitted to the State.

Will other applicants have the same documents as I do?

GLD policies, plans and procedures are customizable documents that were created based on industry best practices and common statutory requirements across a variety of jurisdictions. We recommends that documents be customized for any competitive licensing process in order to fit your unique business plan or competitive licensing approach.

Do documents encompass different growing types (indoor, outdoor, etc.)?

GLD documents can be customized to encompass any growing type allowed in your jurisdiction, including but not limited to indoor, outdoor, greenhouse, and mixed light cultivation.

I have multiple regulated cannabis establishments. Can I use GLD documents for more than one of my businesses?

You can license as many GLD documents as you need for as many establishments as you have. Please contact us for more details.

Are the documents good for small, medium, or large cannabis operations?

GLD documents are designed to fit the needs of operations of all sizes.