Administration (Production Agent)
Government Departments
There are two State of Utah Departments that regulate the medical cannabis program. Working together, these organizations are focused on providing the industry with the greatest level of success.
The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is tasked with regulating the Medical Cannabis Pharmacies and Couriers, Medical Provider registration, cannabis pharmacy agent, and courier agent, registration. As well as all card-holder applications and registrations.
The department monitors a software called the Electronic Verification System (E V S), allowing all of these activities to be administered in a single location.
The Utah Department of Agriculture and Food (UDAF) oversees the production elements of Utah’s medical cannabis program, including Cultivators, Processors, and analytical testing labs. UDAF also regulates the applications and registration of all cannabis production establishment agents working at these facilities.
A Cannabis Production Establishment is a facility licensed by the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food, these are:
Cultivation facilities; which grow the cannabis plants, Processing facilities; allowed to formulate cannabis into a medical dosage form, and package and label for sale, and Independent cannabis testing laboratories; which provide third-party analysis for contaminants, content, product strength, and purity.
Testing labs cannot have any other business/financial interest in a cultivation or processing facility, or a medical cannabis pharmacy. Additionally, an individual employed by an independent testing lab cannot work at any other type of medical cannabis facility.
A cannabis production agent, is any individual who works at any of these facilities. These agents are also required to have a certification in Utah Cannabis Law and Best Practices.