Humboldt Cannabis Appellations: Further Thoughts

So I’ve shared some ideas and questions about Humboldt Cannabis Appellations. Here are further thoughts, would love your feedback. We’ll advance best when we collaborate on solutions that truly meet the needs of the Humboldt County cannabis community.

Production requirements

French Wine Appellations have stringent production requirements including but not limited to grapes coming 100% from their respective regions. In addition, the manufacture of grapes into wine is highly regulated to ensure that it is produced locally and at the highest standards. In California, the law already prohibits businesses from marketing as ‘Humboldt’ any cannabis that is not grown in Humboldt. Some states have mandated vertical integration of the supply chain, but California has taken a highly regulated approach with discrete actors requiring licenses for each step of the chain. There remain several open questions regarding the requirements imposed on the supply chain downstream and how these come under an Appellation system. For example, should secondary products derived from Humboldt Cannabis be manufactured in Humboldt County to earn the Appellation designation, just as an AOC wine is produced within the Appellation?

 Enforcement

 So long as marijuana remains illegal at the federal level, states should develop their own Appellation systems, while maintaining federally-legislated bans on import/export. It may prove beneficial to have an established framework in place at both the county and state level ahead of the day when the federal prohibition is lifted. While there will undoubtedly be challenges to enforcing Appellation law if other jurisdictions do not follow, it seems likely that established Appellation frameworks will incentivize regulation at the federal level. Trade bodies such as the Humboldt County Growers Alliance (hcga.co) are instrumental in developing policy making to differentiate HC Appellation differentiation and generate market value.

 Education and Consumer Protection

 One of the significant benefits of an Appellation system based on the French AOC system is that it provides consumers with far more information than just place of origin. As the HC Appellation gets established, it will be key to clearly and consistently communicate important data to consumers, including the strain, THC/CBD levels, etc.

What are your thoughts?