With over a decade of experience in the cannabis industry, iComply CEO and owner Mark Slaugh works in the specialist sector of compliance for the medical, retail, and hemp industries. His expertise regarding cannabis industry development, consulting, and operational compliance gives him unique insight into the industry. Because he has over 17 years of experience in regulations and risk management, he understands the complexities inherent to the cannabis industry. Due to his extensive background and education, Mark knows what it takes to move markets forward at political, policy, and operational levels. He has developed small and large startups, improved existing operations, and has protected some of the top companies in the field.

Quality Assurance and Testing Compliance: Getting Ahead of Increased Enforcement

Every week, we see failed testing across the industry. Whether you were the failure or someone else was along the supply chain, a failure is costly and impacts everyone.  As cannabis markets continue to mature and regulations become more sophisticated, compliance and product safety are paramount concerns for businesses operating in the industry. Quality assurance plays a crucial role in …

Cannabis and E-Commerce: The Role of Compliance in Online Sales and Marketing

Ahead of 4/20 and increased sales, comes increased risk  As the cannabis industry continues to grow and evolve, so does the way businesses operate. With the rise of e-commerce and the announcement of Twitter to allow social media advertising, more and more cannabis companies are turning to online sales and marketing to reach their customers and promote their brands. However, …

Navigating Cannabis Enforcement: Common Violations and How to Avoid Them

  As the cannabis industry continues to grow and mature, enforcement actions by regulatory agencies have become more prevalent. Cannabis businesses need to understand the common violations that can result in enforcement actions and how to avoid them. In this article, we’ll cover some of the most common violations and offer tips for maintaining compliance.   Packaging and Labeling Violations …

Compliance is complicated. It can also be very expensive when done wrong.

It can be more affordable when done smarter, not harder.  Vangst recently published its average salary expectations report for the industry, and we wanted to highlight the costs of compliance more so than the costs of non-compliance. Serious companies spend hundreds of thousands of dollars a year on compliance staff to keep their businesses running right. This is calculated on …

Outsourcing Cannabis Compliance Management: The Pros and Cons

Outsourcing Cannabis Compliance Management: The Pros and Cons For cannabis businesses, compliance with ever-changing regulations can be a daunting task. Failing to comply with these regulations can result in hefty fines, loss of licenses, and even legal action. Many businesses choose to manage compliance internally or with the help of attorneys, but outsourcing compliance management can provide many benefits – …

Build Out While You Build Out 

Build Out While You Build Out    In our industry, it’s not just about construction. Our highly regulated industry requires foresight and documentation to ensure the greatest chance for success. Most owners are excited to get their license, begin demolition, and to build the business of their dreams. However, in the excitement, they can often overlook the process of building …

End of The Year Recap on MED Enforcement, Cultivation Compliance, and Health & Safety Advisories

End of The Year Recap on MED Enforcement, Cultivation Compliance, and Health & Safety Advisories As expressed by iComply in our previous Bulletins, the MED has increased random testing and continues to do so over the last month. On Dec.15th, 2022 the Colorado Department of Revenue (DOR), in conjunction with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE), issued …

Executive Brief 2023 – Compliance Trends and Outlooks

2023 Compliance Trends and Outlooks   As the industry continues to mature and reach its first decade of retail marijuana (adult-use) sales, there are a number of cannabis compliance trends we’ve seen and anticipate for 2023. Some are positive trends in the cannabis industry that offer new opportunities and increased ROI for those willing and able to get ahead of …

Budgeting for Your Cannabis Business’ Compliance

Cannabis Compliance Budget Budgeting for Your Cannabis Business’ Compliance   “Compliant Marijuana Business” is almost a cliche buzzword in the cannabis industry. As I’ve said before and hope one day never to have to say again: We’ve never seen a 100% compliant cannabis business. We have seen, unfortunately, million dollar businesses get lost to the overwhelming costs of non-compliance including …

Cannabis Compliance Clockwork

Proactively Managing Compliance Year after Year   There’s never enough time in the cannabis industry. Ask any owner, operator, manager, or employee. Often, not having enough time to get to compliance matters puts them on the back burner for another day. This back burner can catch fire, and waste even more precious time in reaction to putting it out – …