D.C. Mun. Regs. tit. 22-C, § 9900
9900.1 When used in this subtitle, the following terms and phrases shall have the meanings ascribed:
ABCA – Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Administration
Acaricide – A substance poisonous to ticks or mites.
Act – means the Legalization of Marijuana for Medical Treatment Initiative of 1999 (Act), effective, effective July 27, 2010 (D.C. Law 18-210; D.C. Official Code §§ 7-1671.01, et seq.(2011 Supp.)).
Active Medical Cannabis Program – a program established by a state or U.S. territory that allows the use of cannabis for one's medical needs.
Administer or Administration – means the direct introduction of medical cannabis, whether by inhalation, ingestion, or any other means, into the body of a person.
Adulterated – Describes medical cannabis or a medical cannabis product that exceeds, fails, or violates any of the testing standards, testing limits, or testing levels of various substances set by the Act or this title.
ANC – means Advisory Neighborhood Commission.
Applicant – means, as the context requires, the individual applicant, each member of an applicant partnership or limited liability company, or each of the principal officers, directors, and shareholders of an applicant corporation, or, if other than an individual, the applicant entity.
Authorized practitioner- a physician, advanced practice registered nurse, physician assistant, dentist, or naturopathic physician who is licensed and in good standing to practice under District law.
Batch –
Board – Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Board
Bona fide relationship with a qualifying patient- a relationship between an authorized practitioner and qualifying patient for which the authorized practitioner:
Business applicant – a person who has made an application to register a medical cannabis business or medical cannabis certification provider permit and who has an application pending before the Board.
Cannabis Plant - means a plant of the genus Cannabis in any stage of growth except for clones.
Caregiver- a person who:
Chain of custody – Procedures employed by a testing laboratory to record the possession of samples from the time of sampling through destruction.
Civil Infractions Act- means Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs Civil Infractions Act of 1985, effective October 5, 1985 (D.C. Law 6-42; D.C. Official Code §§ 2-1801.01, et seq. (2007 Repl. & 2011 Supp.))
Clone – means a plant clipping from a female cannabis plant that is less than eight (8) inches in height, is not yet root-bound, is growing in a propagation solution or water, and that is capable of developing into a new
cannabis plant.
Commercially manufactured food- means food prepared and/or processed in a licensed food facility.
Concentrate- means products consisting wholly or in part of the resin extracted from any part of the plant Cannabis and having a THC concentration greater than ten percent, or a substance obtained by separating cannabinoids from cannabis by:
Controlled Substances Act – means the District of Columbia Uniform Controlled Substances Act of 1981, effective August 5, 1981 (D.C. Law 4-29; D.C. Official Code §§ 48-901.02, et seq. (2009 Repl. & 2011 Supp.)).
Cultivation Center - means a facility operated by an organization or business registered with the Board pursuant to Section 6 of the Act from or at which medical cannabis is cultivated, possessed, manufactured, and distributed in the form of medical cannabis, and paraphernalia is possessed and distributed to dispensaries.
Day – means calendar day unless specifically stated otherwise.
DC APA – means the District of Columbia Administrative Procedure Act, approved October 21, 1968 (82 Stat. 1207; D.C. Official Code § 2-501 et seq.).
DCRA – means the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs
Dentist – an individual who is licensed and in good standing to practice dentistry under District law, but does not include an individual who only holds a dental teaching license.
Director – means the Director of the Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Administration or their designee or designees.
Dispense – means to distribute medical cannabis to a qualifying patient or caregiver pursuant to the Act and the rules issued pursuant to section 14 of the Act.
Distribute – means the actual, constructive, or attempted transfer from one person to another.
Drug-related offense – means any offense that involves the possession, distribution, manufacture, cultivation, sale, transfer, or the attempt or conspiracy to possess, distribute, manufacture, cultivate, sell or transfer cannabis or any substance the possession of which is prohibited by the Controlled Substances Act, Title 21 of the United States Code (Controlled Substance Act), or any equivalent state or foreign government law creating criminal penalties for the sale, distribution, possession, or use of illegal drugs or narcotics.
Edible medical cannabis products- means a food or potable liquid into which a cannabinoid concentrate, cannabinoid extract or dried cannabis leaves or flowers have been incorporated, but does not include a tincture or a cannabinoid product intended to be placed under the tongue or in the mouth using a dropper or spray delivery method, such as but not limited, to a sublingual spray.
Expediter - other than a registered caregiver, any person or entity employed, contracted, volunteering, or compensated by any form of remuneration, gift, donation, or bartering, to register individuals as patients in the medical cannabis program, to connect individuals with recommending authorized practitioners, to solicit individuals to become qualifying patients, to complete application forms or to assist individuals in completing application forms to become qualifying patients, or to transport or deliver to the Board application forms for individuals seeking to become qualifying patients.
Fact-finding hearing - a hearing held by the Board to obtain further information from an applicant in response to either (1) a licensing or registration request or (2) an investigation conducted by ABCA.
Federal Poverty Level - means the income level, which varies by household size, under which families in the continental United States are formally considered to be in poverty. The Secretary for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services publishes a revised poverty level each year in the Federal Register.
Fraud – means a conviction for violation of sections 121 through 127h of the District of Columbia Theft and White Collar Crimes Act of 1982, effective December 1, 1982 (D.C. Official Code § 22-3221 – 22-3227.08) or any conviction in another jurisdiction with an element that involves these violations.
Fungicide – A chemical that destroys fungus.
Gun offense – means
(a) A conviction for the sale, purchase, transfer, receipt, acquisition, possession, use, manufacture, carrying, transportation, registration, or licensing of a firearm under Chapter 45 of Title 22, or an attempt or conspiracy to commit any of the foregoing offenses;
(b) A conviction for violating D.C. Official Code § 7-2502.01, § 7-2504.01, § 7-2505.01, § 7-2506.01, or § 7-2509.06, or an attempt or conspiracy to commit any of those offenses;
(c) A conviction for a firearms-related violation of the provisions in D.C. Official Code § 22-402 (assault with a dangerous weapon), § 22-2603.02 (unlawful possession of contraband), or § 22-2803(b) (carjacking); or
(d) Violations in other jurisdictions of any offense with an element that involves the violations listed in subparagraphs (a) – (c) of this paragraph.
Human consumption - means the consumption of medical cannabis by a person through oral ingestion, absorption through the skin, inhalation through smoking, vaporization or other means.
Individual Applicant - an individual who has made an application for a manager's registration or for registration as a director, officer, member, incorporator, agent, or employee and who has an application pending before the Board.
Letter of information - a written request from the Board for further factual information in response to a request for an advisory opinion.
Locality - means the area within 600 feet of an establishment.
Location - means a particular parcel of land that is defined by an address or other
descriptive means.
Management agreement - means an operational agreement between the licensee and a third-party allowing the third party to manage the establishment on behalf of the licensee for a fee.
Manager - an individual who has obtained a manager's registration from the Board and who is designated by the medical cannabis business to manage the registered premises in the absence of a registered owner.
Manufacture - means the production, preparation, propagation, compounding, conversion, or processing of cannabis, either directly or indirectly by extraction from substances of natural origin, or independently by means of chemical synthesis, or by a combination of extraction and chemical synthesis, and includes any packaging or repackaging of the substance or labeling or re-labeling of its container.
Marijuana - shall have the same meaning as provided in section 102(3)(A) of the Controlled Substances Act.
Medical Cannabis - means cannabis cultivated, manufactured, possessed, distributed, dispensed, obtained, or administered in accordance with the Act and this title and all types of products containing medical cannabis such as infused beverages, concentrates, dried leaf, edibles, kief, oils, tinctures, and pre-rolls.
Medical Cannabis Business – a licensed courier, cultivation center, internet retailer, manufacturer, retailer, testing laboratory, or any other business operating pursuant to a license authorized by the Act and this title. This term does not refer to personal licenses such as those for qualified patients, caregivers, authorized practitioners, managers, employees, and agents.
Medical cannabis-infused products - means products that contain cannabis or cannabis extracts, are intended for human use, are derived from cannabis, and have a THC concentration no greater than ten percent. The term “cannabis-infused products” does not include either useable medical cannabis or cannabis concentrates. The term “cannabis-infused products” does include tinctures and topicals.
METRC – means the electronic track and trace platform provided by the Marijuana Enforcement Tracking Reporting Compliance (METRC) company.
Minor - means any person under eighteen (18) years of age, but does not include an emancipated minor.
MPD - means the Metropolitan Police Department.
Nonresident Card - a medical cannabis patient card issued by a state or U.S. territory that has a medical cannabis program and issues either a card or state- issued document evidencing the patient's participation in the program.
Non-Resident Cardholder – a non-resident of the District of Columbia that is deemed a qualified patient once issued a medical cannabis patient card from ABCA so long as the card is valid and unexpired. This term does not include a nonresident qualifying patient who is registered in another jurisdiction's medical cannabis program.
Nonresident Qualifying Patient - a person that is not a resident of the District of Columbia who is enrolled in another jurisdiction's medical cannabis program and issued an official card by a local, state, federal government entity recognizing their participation in the jurisdiction's medical cannabis program; provided, that a patient from another jurisdiction shall not be a qualifying patient if ABCA determines that there is a shortage of medical cannabis or the real-time electronic records system referenced in Section 6(4)(A) of the Act (D.C. Official Codes § 7- 1671.05(4)(A)) is inactive.
OAG - means the Office of the Attorney General.
OAH - means the Office of Administrative Hearings.
Offer in Compromise - a negotiation between the Government and the Respondent to settle the charges brought by the Government for those violations committed by the Respondent in the instant case.
OTR - means the Office of Tax and Revenue.
Overconcentration - means the existence of multiple licensed establishments in a single locality, section, or portion of the District of Columbia that adversely impacts that locality, section, or portion of the District of Columbia, taking into account the appropriateness standards.
Ovicide - A substance that kills eggs.
Paraphernalia - means:
(a) Objects used, intended for use, or designated for use in preparing, storing, ingesting, inhaling, or otherwise introducing medical cannabis into the human body; and
(b) Kits, objects, devices, or equipment used, intended for use, or designated for use in planting, propagating, manufacturing, cultivation, growing, harvesting, processing, or preparing medical cannabis.
Person - means a natural person, partnership, association, company, corporation, limited liability company, or organization, or a manager, agent, owner, director, officer, or employee thereof.
Physician - means an individual who is licensed and in good standing to practice medicine or osteopathy under District law.
Placard - means a written notice posted at an establishment for the purpose of notifying the public of action involving a new or transfer to new location registration application for either a medical cannabis business.
Plant Growth Regulator – A substance used to alter the plants’ characteristics.
Portion - means the area within 1,800 feet of an establishment.
Potentially Hazardous Food- food that contains moisture or protein that is capable of supporting the rapid and accelerating growth of infectious or toxigenic microorganisms.
Premises – means a distinct and definite location, which may include a building, a part of a building, a room, or any other definite contiguous area.
Product Assessment – Test to determine if an edible is a Potentially Hazardous Food.
Program- means the medical cannabis program established by section 6 of the Act.
Qualifying medical condition-means:
(a) Human immunodeficiency virus;
(b) Acquired immune deficiency syndrome;
(c) Glaucoma;
(d) Conditions characterized by severe and persistent muscle spasm, such as multiple sclerosis;
(e) Cancer; or
(f) Any other condition, as determined by rulemaking, that is:
(1) Chronic or long lasting;
(2) Debilitating or interferes with the basic functions of life; and
(3) A serious medical condition for which the use of medical cannabis is beneficial:
(A) That cannot be effectively treated by any ordinary medical or surgical measure; or
(B) For which there is scientific evidence that the use of medical cannabis is likely to be significantly less addictive than the ordinary medical treatment for that condition.
Qualifying medical or dental condition - any condition for which treatment with medical cannabis would be beneficial, as determined by the patient's authorized practitioner.
Qualifying medical or dental treatment- means:
(a) Chemotherapy;
(b) The use of azidothymidine or protease inhibitors;
(c) Radiotherapy; or
(d) Any other treatment, as determined by rulemaking, whose side effects require treatment through the administration of medical cannabis in the same manner as a qualifying medical or dental condition.
Qualifying patient - a resident of the District who has a qualifying medical or dental condition or is undergoing a qualifying medical or dental treatment, a non-resident cardholder, or a patient enrolled in another jurisdiction's medical cannabis program; provided, that a patient from another jurisdiction shall not be a qualifying patient if the Board determines that there is a shortage of medical cannabis or the real-time electronic records
system referenced in the Act is inactive.
Quorum - a majority of the appointment members of the Committee being present.
Real-time electronic records system – means the electronic database designated by ABCA for use by the medical cannabis industry to track in real-time the planting, harvesting, processing, distribution, and sale of cannabis. The electronic database designated by ABCA is METRC.
Registration period – means the period of time between the authorized beginning and expiration dates for each registration.
Residence- means a dwelling or dwelling unit in which a person lives in a particular locality with the intent to make it a fixed and permanent home.
Safekeeping hearing - means a proceeding held by the Board to determine whether reasonable cause exists to extend the period that a registration is in safekeeping with the Board or whether the registration should be cancelled by the Board.
Section - means the area within 1,200 feet of an establishment unless the context indicates that the term “section” was not used to refer to a physical area.
Seedling- means a cannabis plant that has no flowers, is at least eight (8) inches in height but less than twelve (12) inches in height, and that is less than twelve (12) inches in diameter.
Site - means any location or medical cannabis to which pesticide is applied.
State-issued document - a document issued by the State or U.S. territory agency responsible for administering the medical cannabis program in that state or U.S. territory which bears on its face the nonresident patient's name and program identification number, and an official seal or imprint.
Tamper Evident – means a container or packaging having an indicator or barrier to entry which, if breached or missing, can reasonably be expected to provide visible evidence to consumers that tampering has occurred. If a breached or missing indicator or barrier would not, in and of itself, provide consumers with such evidence, the packaging may still qualify as tamper-evident if, in conjunction with such device, a printed statement is prominently displayed on the product label to alert the consumer of the original presence of the indicator or barrier.
Tamper Proof – means a container or packaging that, once sealed, clearly shows
whether it has been opened.
TCS Food – A food that requires time and temperature control in order to ensure food safety.
Testable Sample – A representative sample that is large enough in quantity to perform all of the required tests.
Testing Laboratory - An entity that is not owned or operated by a director, officer, member, incorporator, agent, or employee of a medical cannabis business, and is registered by the Board to test medical cannabis and medical cannabis products that are to be sold.
Tincture- means a solution of alcohol, cannabinoid concentrate, or extract, which may or may not include other ingredients intended for human consumption or ingestion.
Tolerance - means a level of pesticide residue in or on food that the Environmental Protection Agency has determined with reasonable certainty will not pose a hazard to public health when used in accordance with label directions.
Topical- means a cannabinoid product intended to be applied to skin or hair.
Useable medical cannabis – means the dried leaves and flowers of the cannabis plant, and any mixture of preparation thereof, and does not include seeds, stems, stalks or roots of the plant.
Water Activity – The available water ratio for microorganisms or bacteria to grow, expressed on a scale of 0 to 1, where 1 is pure water.
SOURCE: Emergency and Third Proposed Rulemaking published at 58 DCR 3299 (April 15, 2011)[EXPIRED]; as amended by Emergency and Fourth Proposed Rulemaking published at 58 DCR 7207 (August 12, 2011)[EXPIRED]; as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 58 DCR 10128, 10237 (December 2, 2011); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 60 DCR 10061 (July 12, 2013); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 64 DCR 6639 (July 14, 2017); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 64 DCR 7487 (August 4, 2017); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 64 DCR 11922 (November 17, 2017); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 65 DCR 3650 (April 6, 2018); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 65 DCR 3926 (April 13, 2018); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 66 DCR 10217 (August 9, 2019); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 67 DCR 7479 (June 12, 2020); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 67 DCR 8837 (July 17, 2020); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 71 DCR 002388 (March 8, 2024); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 73 DCR 002136 (February 20, 2026).