The New York State Office of Cannabis Management recently passed new regulations for cannabis packaging—and we are here to help with packaging as you learn to understand and comply. The new rules are meant to help you deliver a safe product in child-resistant packaging, as well as to promote sustainability. As packaging experts for decades, we have the materials and products ready that keep your packaging compliant so you can put your product out into the world!
A few important pieces of information to note about the NY cannabis packaging regulations:
All Retail Layer packaging must be:
- Child Resistant
- Tamper Evident
- Fully Enclosed/Sealed – Resealable if offering more than 1 serving
- Light Filtering/ Opaque Packaging if product needs it for protection
- The outermost layer of your packaging must contain a list of all ingredients in the cannabis product, other required information, and required warnings. You may use a Marketing Layer in addition to your Retail Layer. The Marketing Layer is an optional outermost layer of your packaging, placed over the Retail Layer. This optional layer might be used if you want some flexibility—for example, if you don’t want the child-resistant portion of the packaging to be the outermost layer.
- Beginning January 1, 2024, your cannabis product packaging cannot be made of any plastic unless that plastic contains a minimum 25% post-consumer recycled content. This applies to all cannabis product packaging, including the retail packaging and exit package.
- Although there are no requirements at this time, they encourage you to choose materials that have a minimal environmental impact and that incentivize recyclable product packaging and encourage packaging re-use. You may license with a Retail Packaging Sustainability Program, submitting an environmental packaging plan with recycling and reuse strategies. Reusable packaging has specific requirements regarding inspection and sanitation.
Of course, at CannaCarton, we are here to support you as you work to be compliant, safe, and sustainable! Contact us today to find the product that works for you.
