District of Columbia2025Active

PR26-0779

Emergency Rules for Medical Cannabis Licenses and Enforcement

Last scannedAug 25, 2026, 4:28 AM

In one sentence

This emergency law extends temporary medical cannabis licenses by one year, clarifies rules about unlicensed shops selling illegal drugs, updates distance requirements near schools, and allows officials to close dangerous businesses.

Extends conditional licenses for medical cannabis cultivation centers, retailers, internet retailers, manufacturers, couriers, and testing laboratories for an additional year.
Changes the definition of an unlicensed establishment to include places that sell Schedule I substances or products containing them.
Allows applicants to submit a zoning certificate instead of a certificate of occupancy when applying for permanent licenses.
Clarifies distance requirements between cannabis retailers, internet retailers, schools, and recreation centers.
Authorizes enforcement actions against all unlicensed establishments starting April 1, 2025, even if they have pending applications with the Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Board.
Allows summary closures to continue as long as an imminent danger to the public exists and is likely to recur.

Holders of conditional medical cannabis licenses for cultivation centers, retailers, internet retailers, manufacturers, couriers, and testing laboratories.
Unlicensed establishments that sell Schedule I substances or products containing them.
The Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Administration (ABCA).
The Metropolitan Police Department.

This resolution takes effect immediately but the text notes that permanent legislation including these provisions is planned for the fall.
The law clarifies distance requirements between retailers and schools, but does not list specific measurements in this summary text.
Enforcement actions against unlicensed establishments are authorized to begin on April 1, 2025, which is before the resolution's effective date of July 14, 2026.

Plain language

Conditional license: A temporary permit that allows a business to operate while waiting for full approval, which this law extends by one year.
Schedule I substance: Drugs or products classified under federal law as having no accepted medical use and high potential for abuse; the law targets unlicensed shops selling these items.
Summary closure: An immediate shutdown of a business ordered by officials when there is an urgent threat to public safety that might happen again.

Official record

Source attached

Medical Cannabis Licensing and Unlicensed Establishment Enforcement Clarification Emergency Declaration Resolution of 2026

Official activity