Bulletin 2019-03: Enforcement Principles and Office of Cannabis Identification

In July 2017, the City and County of San Francisco established an Office of Cannabis (“OOC”).¹ The OOC has broad authority to conduct physical inspections and take other administrative action to enforce laws regulating commercial cannabis activity.² Any member of the OOC may enter and inspect the premises of any cannabis business, and any vehicles used for distribution or delivery, to determine whether the cannabis business is operating in compliance with applicable laws and regulations.³ 

Enforcement Principles

The OOC will pursue violations in a manner aimed at fostering predictability, public health and safety, and social justice.⁴ In conducting physical inspections, and pursuing violations discovered during those inspections, the OOC will generally focus on matters involving: (1) actual harm; (2) unacceptable risk of harm; and (3) fraud or deception. Notwithstanding these general enforcement priorities, OOC reserves the right to pursue any violation within its jurisdiction. 

Office of Cannabis Identification

The OOC intends to inspect each commercial cannabis premises no less than two times per year. Prior to an inspection, a member of the OOC will identify themselves and display their OOC badge. A description of the OOC badge is as follows:

• Flat 3” faux gold-plated badge affixed to a black leather case
• Title (e.g. Director, Deputy Director, etc.) written on the top ribbon
• San Francisco written on the top-half of the circle that goes around the City seal
• San Francisco City Seal placed in the center of the badge
• Office of Cannabis written on the bottom-half of the circle
• Badge number (e.g. 001, 002, etc.) displayed at the bottom
• Badge will be accompanied by the inspector’s business card

As the commercial cannabis industry matures, commercial cannabis operators should be attuned to the OOC’s increased and focused enforcement efforts. 

Posted on 2/1/2019

1. Ordinance number 168-17.
2. SF Police Code §§ 1630–1634.
3. SF Police Code § 1630(a) (“Any member of the Office of Cannabis, the Police Department, the Department of Public Health, the Department of Building Inspection, the Planning Department, and/or any other Referring Department … may enter and inspect the Premises of any Cannabis Business and any vehicle used for the purpose of Distribution or delivery…”)
4. SF Police Code § 1600 et seq.