ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) – The New York State Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) proposes regulations for adult-use cannabis packaging, labeling, marketing, advertising, and laboratory testing. The regulations will be considered by the Cannabis Control Board at its June 1 meeting and would be directed to a 60-day public comment period.

The regulations are designed to help protect public health and reduce waste, according to the OCM. They include requirements for child-resistant packaging and labeling that identifies products as containing cannabis with THC, limiting marketing to adult-only audiences. They would also include the rules for establishing independent laboratories and procedures to ensure products are safe for consumption.

Cannabis Control Board Chair, Tremaine Wright, says that they are committed to protecting children and keeping the product safe and sustainable. These regulations set standards to protect public health, including protections for children and the environment, along with rules to ensure high-quality cannabis.

The proposed regulations for packaging and labeling include minimum standards that ensure cannabis packaging is child-resistant, tamper-evident, and non-toxic. Regulations would additionally require labeling that includes components that provide relevant warnings and give details regarding serving size, potency, ingredients, usage, and shortage instructions, says the OCM.

The proposed regulations for marketing and advertising focus on ensuring cannabis marketing and advertising are not targeted at young people. It will require businesses to take steps to ensure that young people are not inadvertently being captured by their advertising, according to the OCM.

The proposed regulations for laboratory testing establish an application process to permit independent cannabis testing laboratories and approval of laboratory sampling firms. These regulations would allow existing independent laboratories that are already certified to test medical cannabis under DOH to also test medical and adult-use cannabis under the OCM.