Physical security measures for cannabis licences: Cannabis drug licence

Physical security requirements for cannabis drug licences.

On this page

• Determine your physical security requirements
• Requirements in the Directive on Physical Security Requirements for Controlled Substances and Drugs Containing Cannabis
• Requirements under Division 1 of Part 4
• Requirements under section 76(1)(b)
• Requirements under section76(1)(a)

Determine your physical security requirements

Your physical security requirements will be different depending on the activities you are conducting at your site and whether your site has been approved under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act.

If you already have a cannabis licence at your site, such as a standard cultivation, processing or sale for medical purposes with possession of cannabis licence, you may already have certain physical security measures in place.

You can refer to the Diagram to determine the appropriate physical security requirements for your activities with cannabis to help you determine which physical security measures you need for your site.

Requirements in the Directive on Physical Security Requirements for Controlled Substances and Drugs Containing Cannabis

These requirements apply if both these situations apply:

• you have a security environment that was approved under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act
• you can demonstrate that you're storing cannabis in accordance with the Directive on Physical Security Requirements for Controlled Substances and Drugs Containing Cannabis (the Directive)

You'll only need to follow the physical security measures outlined in the Directive on Physical Security Requirements for Controlled Substances. Also, you won't need to meet any requirements in part 4 of the Cannabis Regulations (the Regulations).

Requirements under Division 1 of Part 4

These are the requirements you must follow if you intend to sell or distribute more than 600 kg of dried cannabis or equivalent per calendar year. These are the same requirements as a standard cultivation, standard processing and sale for medical purposes with possession of cannabis licence, per paragraph 62(1)(d) of the Regulations.

Physical security requirements

• Site
  • Designed to prevent unauthorized access
• Site perimeter
  • Visual monitoring
  • Intrusion detection
• Operations areas
  • Surrounded by a physical barrier
  • Access restricted to those who are required to be present
  • Visual monitoring
  • Intrusion detection
• Storage areas
  • Surrounded by a physical barrier
  • Access restricted to those who are required to be present
  • Visual monitoring
  • Intrusion detection
  • Located in an area that meets requirements of section 67 of the Regulations

Requirements under section 76(1)(b)

These are the requirements you must follow if both these situations apply:

• you intend to sell or distribute less than 600 kg of dried cannabis or equivalent per calendar year
• you're conducting activities other than analytical testing

These are the same requirements as micro-cultivation, nursery and micro-processing licences paragraph 76(1)(b) of the Regulations.

Physical security requirements

• Site
  • Designed to prevent unauthorized access
  • Surrounded by a physical barrier
• Storage areas
  • Surrounded by a physical barrier
  • Access restricted to those who are required to be present

Requirements under section76(1)(a)

These are the requirements you must follow if both these situations apply:

• you intend to sell or distribute less than 600 kg of dried cannabis or equivalent per calendar year
• you're only conducting analytical testing

These are the same requirements as an analytical testing licence per paragraph 76(1)(a) of the Regulations.

Physical security requirements

• Storage areas
  • Surrounded by a physical barrier
  • Access restricted to those who are required to be present