Nevada’s Cannabis Compliance Board: Safeguarding Public Health and Industry Integrity

The Nevada Cannabis Compliance Board (CCB) was created under Assembly Bill 533, passed during the 2019 legislative session and signed by Governor Steve Sisolak. It officially began operations on July 1, 2020, assuming responsibility for both medical and adult‑use cannabis programs from the Department of Taxation. The CCB functions similarly to the state’s Gaming Control Board but focuses on cannabis—it licenses businesses, enforces compliance, and protects public health and safety.

Official site: ccb.nv.gov

Mission & Guiding Principles

The CCB’s mission is to regulate every aspect of Nevada’s cannabis industry—licensing, operations, inspections—while safeguarding public welfare and maintaining ethical standards. Its guiding principles include:

  • Strict oversight of licensees, testing labs, transfers, packaging, and more
  • Ensuring only high‑quality, properly tested cannabis products reach consumers
  • Auditing financials and licensing integrity
  • Promoting fair access and tax revenue
  • Avoiding conflicts of interest and embracing regulatory innovation
Governance Structure
Board Composition

The CCB is governed by five members appointed by the governor, serving four-year terms. Nevada law requires that board members each bring expertise in finance/accounting, law enforcement, regulatory compliance, cannabis industry, or public health/medicine.

Current Board Leadership:

  • Chair: Adriana Guzmán Fralick, Reno attorney, appointed in 2023
  • Vice Chair: Riana Durrett, ex‑Executive Director of the Nevada Dispensary Association, on board since 2020
Cannabis Advisory Commission (CAC)

In addition to the CCB, Nevada has a 12‑member Cannabis Advisory Commission that studies issues and advises the board. It includes eight appointees by the governor and four ex‑officio members: the state Attorney General, Directors of Public Safety and Taxation, and the CCB Executive Director.

The CAC is organized into subcommittees covering:

  1. Federal rescheduling/descheduling
  2. Market participation and equity
  3. Public safety and illicit-market enforcement

These subcommittees offer policy and regulatory recommendations to influence CCB decisions.

Core Regulatory Functions

The CCB performs several essential duties per the Nevada Cannabis Compliance Regulations (NCCR 1–14):

  1. Licensing & Renewals – issues and renews licenses for cultivators, manufacturers, testing labs, distributors, retailers, and cannabis consumption lounges.
  2. Seed‑to‑sale tracking – mandates use of METRC for tracking cannabis from cultivation through retail.
  3. Audits & Investigations – conducts annual routine audits of all licensed operations and special investigations into transfers, financials, compliance, and suitability.
  4. Enforcement & Discipline – can suspend or revoke licenses for violations; for instance, a grower in North Las Vegas faced suspension for hiding untagged plants.
  5. Consumer Protection – issues public health advisories, such as on pesticide contamination.
  6. Rule‑making & Public Engagement – adopts and amends cannabis regulations via public meetings under Nevada’s open-meeting law.
Landmark Developments
  • Consumption Lounges: Following Assembly Bill 341 (2021), the CCB began licensing cannabis lounges. In February 2024, it approved Smoke and Mirrors in Las Vegas—the first off-tribal lounge to open.
  • METRC Integration: Since November 2017, METRC has tracked all cannabis products; the CCB enforces strict reporting.
  • Robust Enforcement: Between 2023, investigators conducted 43 operational audits, 17 lounge suitability studies, and 18 management service reviews, uncovering violations like unauthorized transfers and tax non‑compliance.
Conclusion

Nevada’s Cannabis Compliance Board plays a pivotal role in shaping a robust, safe, and equitable cannabis industry. Through licensing, regulation, public health oversight, enforcement, and engagement, it strives to balance economic opportunity with strict compliance. For stakeholders—industry operators, consumers, public health officials, and lawmakers—the CCB remains the central authority in ensuring Nevada’s cannabis market thrives responsibly.