The Polaris Approach to Cannabis Industry Security & Compliance

With Recreational Marijuana Now Legalized in New York, the Cannabis Industry is Poised for Significant Growth – as long as new businesses can navigate the industry’s unique and complex security, compliance, and logistical challenges. As a global risk provider with offices across the United States, Polaris can guide you through the entirety of the process, from permitting and planning to distribution and delivery. Like the cannabis industry itself, Polaris’ services are ever evolving, as our offerings swiftly adapt to changes in the product’s legal and economic status. Adaptability is essential in any emerging industry, and cannabis production and distribution is especially sensitive to changes in legislation and enforcement state to state. Polaris – and our team of expert consultants – is attuned to the industry, making us uniquely flexible, and ready to react to any issue. 

Given our extensive experience at every stage of the operation cycle, Polaris can help clients remain secure through each step of their journey. Whether your business is fully-grown or just taking root, Polaris provides informed and strategic solutions for the security and compliance risks already rampant in your industry. 

Security Design & Implementation

Cash Security & Facility Protection

As a cash-intensive industry operating amid legal gray-market conditions, onsite security is vital to a cannabis business’ success, as the industry’s legal status creates or compounds unique, industry-specific security risks. To address these heightened risks, Polaris can help design and implement your company’s security infrastructure across entire verticals and locations – from production facilities to dispensaries – ensuring that your sites leverage cameras, access controls, and other security measures effectively. Polaris guards, moreover, offer an additional degree of protection, as well rapid incident response. Should an incident arise, these guards can guide employees through tactical and practical emergency procedures, all designed to protect your employees, cash, and product. 

Compliance & Key Policy Consulting

Foundation Consulting Services

The cannabis industry’s rapid growth is too often outpaced by its rapidly shifting regulatory landscape. The legal framework of the market has changed dramatically in recent years, and participants can expect even more changes as legalized states draft, apply, or rewrite their – often conflicting – cannabis legislation. Polaris, however, can offer guidance as you navigate these changes, as our experts help establish a flexible, compliant foundation from seed to sale. From permitting, to licensure, technology, logistics, compliance policies, and security, Polaris’ extensive network of experts can help ensure that each step navigating the tumultuous industry is surefooted. 

Regular Compliance Assessments

Compliance is an ongoing process; it requires active and consistent checks and assessments. To help our partners meet this standard, Polaris offers routine, highly-detailed security audits to screen for compliance with state and federal regulations. There is a significant list of regulations to monitor – including the Controlled Substance Act – but Polaris’ experts can provide the guidance and oversight needed to remain compliant in any state or federal landscape. 

Product & Supply Chain Protection

Investigative Support

In addition to physical security and compliance/policy support, Polaris’ investigations branch can protect your interests in the wider market. Should your brand be faced with fraud, imposters, copycats, or other such misrepresentations – all of which are common in the industry – our Investigations Team can assess these threats and advise on how to manage them – before they can damage your reputation or impede your growth. 

Secure Product & Cash Transport

Transportation presents unique challenges for the cannabis industry; banks will likely be reluctant to work with the industry until the passage of the SAFE Banking Act, so businesses are exposed to multiple threat vectors as they are forced to move cash and product between facilities and customers. To combat these challenges, Polaris can advise clients on essential security measures designed to secure the client at each step. These include product barcoding, packaging specialization, enacting effective policies and procedures, seed-to-sale tracking implementation, personnel vetting, RFID & GPS tracking, and regular auditing. Polaris’ trained security guards and escort vehicles can also provide next-level assurances for safe deliveries of high-value shipments. 

Please note that this is only a brief overview of our capabilities; if you seek services not listed above, email info@polarisrsk.com and our team would be happy to discuss your request. 

Read the PDF: 17.-The-Polaris-Approach-to-Cannabis-Industry-Security-Compliance.pdf