The Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Board has finalized new rules governing medical cannabis advertising and signage in Washington, D.C., concluding a nearly two-year rulemaking process aimed at clarifying how cannabis businesses may promote their operations.
The final rulemaking amends Subtitle C (Medical Marijuana) of Title 22 of the D.C. Municipal Regulations and stems from enforcement legislation passed by the Council of the District of Columbia in early 2024. Lawmakers first approved emergency and temporary measures — including the Medical Cannabis Program Enforcement Emergency Amendment Act of 2024 — to address signage concerns, advertising practices, and misleading representations related to cannabis sales. Those measures were later extended through multiple emergency rulemakings before advancing to permanent status.
The Board initially approved emergency and proposed rules in January 2024, followed by additional notices and reauthorizations throughout 2024 and 2025. After transmitting the proposed final rules to the Council in June 2025 pursuant to the Legalization of Marijuana for Medical Treatment Initiative of 1999, the package was deemed approved when the Council did not act within the required 30-day review period. On December 3, 2025, the Board voted unanimously, 5–0, to adopt the rules as final without further changes. The regulations will take effect upon publication in the District of Columbia Register.
New Signage Limits
The updated regulations impose stricter limits on exterior signage for licensed medical cannabis establishments:
- Exterior signs advertising medical cannabis may not exceed 10 square feet in total, though signage containing only the establishment’s trade name does not count toward that limit.
- Window signs indicating the presence of medical cannabis must be placed on the interior side of the window and may not cover more than 25% of total window space.
- Signs related to medical cannabis are prohibited on any side of an exterior entrance or exit door.
- Owners must remove any noncompliant signage.
Prohibited Representations
The rules also add a new prohibition barring both licensed and unlicensed cannabis businesses from claiming that their goods, services, or operations are compliant with the District’s 2014 marijuana possession initiative. Regulators said the change is intended to prevent false or misleading representations about the legal status of cannabis activity in the District.
Board officials have said the amendments are designed to reduce public nuisances, curb deceptive advertising, and provide clearer standards for enforcement as the District continues to regulate both licensed medical operators and illicit storefront activity.
